Australian eyewear company Bailey Nelson has partnered with end-to-end 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) platform Plattar to implement a world-leading virtual try-on solution.
The solution has seen the company’s online sales conversion grow by over 400 per cent in 2021 and enabled the business to thrive despite ongoing lockdowns.
Since 2012, Bailey Nelson has led the disruption of the traditionally high-priced optical industry, offering quality, designer eyewear and personalised eye care at a reasonable price.
The company has grown to 80 stores across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada, but in 2020, Bailey Nelson was forced to temporarily shut all stores globally in the space of a week. Since then, the company has endured multiple lockdowns in key retail locations – the latest in Sydney.
With consumers shopping in new ways, in early 2021 Bailey Nelson began working with fellow Australian disruptor Plattar to launch a virtual try-on trial function for online shoppers across 60 of its core eyewear products.
Plattar identified several touchpoints that combined to provide a consistent virtual try-on experience across the complete range of devices, including the latest iPhone and iPad models.
Plattar maximised the capabilities of Apple’s TrueDepth camera, together with the stunning realism of 3D using the LiDAR scanner on the iPhone and iPad, to create an unparalleled virtual experience that gives shoppers the ability to digitally wear Bailey Nelson’s frames in real-time, from anywhere.
Importantly, as prescription eyewear must be positioned correctly on the face to function effectively, the VTO solution fashion experience also facilitated a great clinical experience by ensuring perfect size and fit.
Following a successful trial, Bailey Nelson launched the solution across the full product range in Australia (its biggest market). Since then, customers using the virtual try-on tool have recorded a conversion rate 400 per cent higher than customers viewing traditional product pages
In Canada, a market that was impacted to a greater extent by COVID-19, Bailey Nelson saw a 600 per cent increase in the conversion rate for customers using virtual try on.
Most recently, virtual try-on usage in Sydney has risen by 68 per cent during lockdown compared to pre-lockdown rates, with 39 per cent of all online shoppers in Sydney using the VTO.
Globally, buying confidence has successfully increased through the use of 3D/AR technology, with 15 per cent of total site users now utilising virtual try on.
James Kerridge, head of marketing and digital at Bailey Nelson, said: “In 2020, our team was tasked with developing tactics to differentiate in an increasingly crowded eCommerce space and create a way for customers to receive the same try on experience as they would in-store, from their homes.
“It was crucial for the brand to ensure that what customers experienced online matched what arrived in the mail.
“We had previously considered virtual try-on solutions but found many of the solutions available on the market were outdated and, critically, did not utilise the capabilities across multiple generations of iPhone.
“Plattar was forward-thinking, market-leading and using the latest tech stack.
“Together we have deployed a solution quickly that meets our high expectations of customer experience around fashion and fit, and is having a very positive business impact.
“This solution will play a significant role in our marketing approach now and beyond COVID.”
Rupert Deans, founder and CEO of Plattar, said: “This project is a glowing example of how visualisation can transform the customer experience.
“Our goal is to enable eCommerce companies to change how they sell and engage online through 3D and AR technologies that allow customers to experience a product as they would in real-life.
“It is the best way to instil buyer confidence. It has been a pleasure working with Bailey Nelson to develop a solution that is unparalleled in the optical market category and see their online sales boom as a result.”
Bailey Nelson is now looking at ways to drive more users to the service by improving the user experience on its website, ramping up advertising and also building a mobile commerce application that will leverage the virtual try-on experience.
The technology may also be used in-store as a range extension tool to allow customers to shop for products that are out of stock or in short supply.
