Israeli company makes clothes shopping convenient

20
Jul '20

Pic: Zeekit

Israel-based fashion-tech company Zeekit has launched a unique platform that makes clothes shopping experience more convenient for shoppers and also significantly improves retailers’ bottom lines. The platform enables shoppers to see how a particular garment fits on them without actually trying it on. This has led to more satisfied and engaged customers.

Zeekit was founded by Nir Appleboim, Alon Kristal and Yael Vizel, a former Israeli Air Force commander. Vizel, who leads the company as CEO, realised the technology she used to turn 2D photographs into 3D graphics for military mapping could, in turn, be applied to the unique topography of each human body. Using patented algorithm-based technology, Vizel and her partners were able to create a system that realistically simulates how particular garments look on different body types, forever changing how consumers shop online.

It’s virtual reality with the emphasis on reality. Zeekit images look exactly like real clothes.

“When in the past you were only able to see clothes on one model, who often was of a very different shape and size as you, we’ve introduced a way to show a garment on a variety of body types. With Zeekit, you can select a model that better represents you, so you can be sure that the clothes you buy won’t end up in the return pile.”

Zeekit is the 1-stop shop for dressing up models, influencers and customers, with just a click. Zeekit works with fashion brands, content creators, advertising agencies and marketing firms to enable shoppers today a more interactive, personalised, inclusive and effective apparel shopping experience.

Zeekit also allows brands and retailers to present a far more diverse range of models.

“Customers should be able to select a model that looks like them, not only in size and shape, but also age and ethnicity,” Vizel added. “At the same time, brands should show that they are embracing everyone.”

Zeekit also introduced a “Be Your Own Model” functionality that allows customers to upload their images to the platform so they can see how clothes look and fit on them specifically. This allows customers to experiment with new styles at no risk, increasing the likelihood that clients will find something they like in any store.

Other considerations make Zeekit particularly well-suited to today’s marketplace, which has changed dramatically in the wake of COVID-19. Shoppers are less interested in trying on clothes others have worn and handled, and being in a crowded store is no longer a safe option. Zeekit allows the entire shopping, trying-on, testing out and purchasing experience to be conducted in a much more convenient way, which is drawing the attention of retailers and brands across the world.

Recently, Zeekit has been implemented at ASOS, Adidas and other leading retailers.

“It’s a great tool for us to have at our disposal, helping us drop new items on site each week and provide customers with realistic product images in a studio setting,” said ASOS' senior content manager, Tim Carey.

The benefits to the bottom line, beyond savings on photography costs, are clear. Data shows an 18 per cent increase in average order value (AOV), because shoppers using Zeekit are more likely to try on hundreds of outfits rather than just a few.

With Zeekit’s patented technology, retailers and brands can also optimise their conversion rates by reducing the uncertainty that shoppers have when they see clothes on a model that is a different body type than they are. In fact, retailers that have implemented Zeekit have seen, on average, a 43 per cent increase in revenue per session.

That benefit of Zeekit extends to an area of online shopping that has long plagued retailers: Returns. Preliminary data shows an average 36 per cent reduction in return rates because customers get a much better sense of whether that piece is for them or not.

“The crisis in the retail world has also created an opportunity to reinvent and revolutionise the way this industry operates,” said Vizel. “Right now it’s all about personalisation. We live in the era of the selfie generation and Zeekit is taking that to the next step, giving every brand and retailer the opportunity to extend their presence into the reality of their customers’ lives.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)

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