Google has launched a new AR-powered shopping tools that will let buyers see the shoes they’re looking at from a 360-degree view.
The new features are similar to existing solutions for home goods which let users place objects in their home to see if they fit.
The shoe features, meanwhile, let buyers spin, zoom, and see the shoes in the world around them as they decide if the colour, laces, tread, or sole fit your style. However, you cannot try the shoes on.
Saucony, VANS, and Merrell are the launch partners for the AR shoe features. Google says though that any brand with 3D assets for their shoes can participate.
The search giant said that shoppers engage with 3D imagery 50 per cent more than with static images, presenting a big opportunity for brands. Google also said that it is investing in new software that will let brands and retailers create 3D models with just a handful of static images, rather than the hundreds previously needed.
Aside from shoes, Google also announced a skin tone-matching feature to make it easier for shoppers to find the right shade of foundation.
Developed with beauty brands, Google has a photo library with 148 models representing “a diverse spectrum of skin tones, ages, genders, face shapes, ethnicities and skin types.”
Shoppers can search for a foundation on Google and see what it looks like on models with a similar skin tone to them, including before and after shots. From there, users can pick a retailer to buy the foundation from.
This could have huge implications for beauty brands as Google said that more than 60 per cent have decided not to purchase a beauty item online because they didn’t know what colour or shade to choose. 41 per cent, meanwhile, have decided to return an item because it was the wrong shade.
