Press release: Swiss retail technology company, meepl, has launched the next generation of smartphone-enabled Virtual Dressing Rooms solutions for specific use on e-commerce sites. This innovative new digital experience will transform the shopping journey for online shoppers, providing a customer-centric solution to the problems of garment sizing and fit, along with preventing unnecessary order returns - a big issue for retail businesses.

Product fit is a continuous concern for online clothing shoppers, with 21% of consumers choosing to avoid purchasing clothing online due to not knowing how items fit - in terms of size, suitability or look. This barrier is also causing non-environmental, unsustainable shopping behaviours in the form of ordering multiple sizes with the intent of returning one or more items.

The meepl Virtual Dressing Room solution allows customers to virtually try-on clothes using a 3D body avatar. The technology behind meepl uses an Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine to simulate 3D garment models - in real-time - on to 3D body avatars to give a realistic representation of gender, fit, size and shape.

Users of meepl will use the technology to view products, simulated on their own virtual body (or 'meepl') and directly find their ideal size for each item. With just two pictures, taken from a smartphone app, online shoppers can create a personalised meepl in seconds. From the pictures, meepl calculates a comprehensive list of body measurements, enabling your meepl to be as accurate as if you were measured by a professional tailor.

In the coming months, meepl’s VDR technology will be further enhanced with the implementation of a Body Scanning solution and Size Recommendation tool. These developments will give online shoppers an even more personalised shopping experience, and will help to increase satisfaction rates and bring further value to the customer.

Ferdinand Metzler, CEO of meepl said:

“Retail businesses are increasingly focused on developing and improving the online shopping experience for customers. Technology has developed exponentially over the last few years and the realms of what is now possible are exciting for both retailers and shoppers. Online retail businesses that explore Virtual Dressing Room solutions will better assist customers to experience the look, style and fit of garments on their own personalised 3D version of their body. The addition of this experience to the online shopping journey will help to tackle the need for unnecessary returns, and improve the purchase success rates.”

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About meepl

meepl is a Zurich-based software company founded in 2015 by a team of ETH engineering students. Their aim was to provide an easy and accurate way to offer 3D body scanning on a mobile phone to enhance the customer journey of online shoppers by uniting state-of-the-art technology with customer needs. This goes hand in hand with their strive for achieving more sustainability within the fashion industry. With leading experts in visual computing and machine learning the company has grown steadily to a team of 25 to provide technology-centric solutions for the apparel industry worldwide.