John Lewis Reports ‘Impressive’ Rental Results with Virtual Try-on Technology
John Lewis is seeing good early results from Zyler’s virtual try-on software just months after their partnership went live.
The British retailer is seeing more than 30 percent of its Hurr-powered fashion rental sales influenced by the try-on feature, the tech startup reported this week.
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“It has been so exciting to offer styling support in a digital environment using the Zyler technology, and the impressive results we’ve seen from the first few months shows it’s resonating with our customers too,” John Lewis innovation lead Danielle Gagola said. “As we move into winter, we’re looking forward to even more customers using the Virtual Try-On service to find that perfect Christmas Party outfit.”
Customers use the “Try It On” feature to see how a garment or outfit will look on the avatar they personalize using a headshot and sizing details. According to Zyler, which has also worked with Marks & Spencer, the technology is important for the rental market because consumers often need something for an important, time-sensitive occasion and can’t afford sizing mistakes. Playing digital dress-up reduces uncertainty and helps increase customer satisfaction, it said.
Since launching three months ago, 16 percent of John Lewis online visitors have engaged with Zyler’s technology, with each user viewing an average of 52 outfits on their avatar. “These findings exceeded our expectations and demonstrate a huge customer response to our try-on technology,” said Alexander Berend, CEO of Anthropics Technology, the company behind Zyler. “There is a significant sales contribution from Zyler users, strong engagement among website visitors, and a high number of outfits viewed per Zyler user.”
John Lewis launched its rental platform in fall 2022, tapping U.K.-based Hurr to facilitate peer-to-peer and brand-owned rental services. The tech platform, which has also supported rentals for Selfridges, allows users to choose 4- to 30-day rental contracts, and provides delivery and return, payment and damage protection services on behalf of brands and lenders. In March, John Lewis said the rental program had registered 3,000 customers in less than a year.
