When Warby Parker launched its virtual try-on tool half a decade ago, the move not only sent shockwaves through not only the optometry community, but also marked a turning point for ecommerce. Turn on the webcam, and match your perfect pair of glasses to your face, saving money ($95 vs. $300+) and gaining more choice. Now, Microsoft has brought this virtual try-and-buy mentality to the Xbox One.
The Mall on Xbox One
Called ‘The Mall on Xbox One,’ the virtual dressing room concept is being launched by Microsoft Ventures alumni Von Bismark, a UK-based company and a Microsoft Ventures Alumni.
Von Bismark was founded in 2012 to bring more physical ecommerce experiences to online shoppers via the living room TV, the Xbox One becoming the first device of the new undertaking.
In addition to Von Bismark’s role, payments are powered by mobile payments enabler Powa Technologies, who highlights the process in a video below.
How The Mall on Xbox One Works
The Mall on Xbox One works using the Kinect camera and an ecommerce storefront, allowing users to try on clothing that moves with them, virtually overlaying garments on the user’s body to demonstrate how the user will look with said garment on.
According to DigitalTrends, the first retailers to sign up for the Mall on Xbox One are SoccerPro, Grayers, Go2Games, and Style PB, with more brands to come.
If the user sees something he or she likes, the purchase is as simple as pointing to the buy button and scanning the QR code generated on screen. The payment is handled by Powa Technologies’ PowaTag app, which allows the user to pay in his or her local currency.
As of now, it’s only available in the US, but is coming to the United Kingdom and Canada in February of next year.
How the Mall Came to Be
Imaging
The concepts have been around in theory for years, becoming viable in the consumer space in recent years. PrimeSense, a 3D sensing company was an integral part of the first Kinect, before the company was acquiredby Apple in November 2013.
BodyMetrics, a 3D body scanner shaped like a photo booth, brought the idea to bricks and mortar retailers, which within seven seconds conducts hundreds of measurements to simplify the denim buying process.
This will only grow in popularity, both in a storefront perspective and a try-in home, as the 3D modeling field becomes more consumer-ready, and technology becomes more affordable. Advances could include modeling of the clothing to move with the user and imaging-based measurements brought in home.
Payments
Payments behind The Mall on Xbox One are managed by Powa Technologies and its Powatag platform, which uses a QR code that the user snaps on his or her phone to complete the transaction.
QR-code mobile payments, highlighted here, have become an alternate to NFC and MST for in-store transactions, and PowaTag looks to bring the mobile payments process into the home.
What’s Next for Ecommerce?
Many platforms will look to see how The Mall on Xbox One clicks with consumers, including major competitor PlayStation and likely ecommerce giant Amazon.
It could be expected that Microsoft will go beyond the Xbox platform, taking virtual shopping to its HoloLens augmented reality headset. In theory, users would be able to see how a painting would look on their wall, hang virtual drapes, and test out paint colors before purchasing the item.
The Mall on Xbox One is the first step in many that could change the way consumers search and select items.
Are you looking to keep up with all the latest in ecommerce, m-commerce, mobile payments, and corporate payments? Follow WEX on Twitter.