Webcam Social Shopper
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The Webcam Social Shopper, often referred to as virtual dressing room software, debuted online in June 2009 and was created by Los Angeles-based software company, Zugara. Cited initially as an " augmented reality dressing room", The Webcam Social Shopper allows online shoppers to use a
webcam A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in videotelephony, livestreaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripheral ...
to visualize virtual garments on themselves while shopping online. The software also uses a motion capture system that allows users to use hand motions to navigate the software while standing back from their computer. Social media integration with
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
and
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also allows users of the software to send pictures of themselves with the virtual garments for immediate feedback. Though the Webcam Social Shopper has also been called virtual fitting room or virtual dressing room software, Zugara has referred to the software as an advanced product visualization tool for retailers. On September 25, 2012, Zugara was granted US Patent No. 8,275,590 for "Providing a simulation of wearing items such as garments and/or accessories". The patent relates to Zugara's augmented reality social commerce platform, the Webcam Social Shopper.


Technology

The Webcam Social Shopper software can utilize 2-dimensional webcams or 3-dimensional or depth sensing cameras like Microsoft's Kinect.


History

In November 2009, the Webcam Social Shopper was first deployed as Fashionista by online fashion site, Tobi.com. This initial version of the Webcam Social Shopper, used an augmented reality marker for placement of the virtual garment on the subject. In February 2011, a new version of the Webcam Social Shopper was debuted publicly for the first time at the DEMO conference in
Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. This latest version of the software removed the need for a marker and instead used facial tracking for placement of the virtual garment. Dubbed the "Plug and Play" version of the Webcam Social Shopper, this version of the software was designed for easier integration for
retailers Retail is the sale of goods and services to consumers, in contrast to wholesaling, which is sale to business or institutional customers. A retailer purchases goods in large quantities from manufacturers, directly or through a wholesaler, and t ...
and
ecommerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain managemen ...
sites."Zugara Engages Online Shoppers With Dress Up Visualization"
VentureBeat ''VentureBeat'' is an American technology website headquartered in San Francisco, California. It publishes news, analysis, long-form features, interviews, and videos. History The ''VentureBeat'' company was founded in 2006 by Matt Marshall, ...
, 28 February 2011, retrieved 4 July 2012
UK Fashion Retailer, Banana Flame, was the first retailer to integrate the Plug and Play version of the virtual dressing room software. According to Matthew Szymczyk, CEO of Zugara, the new version of the Webcam Social Shopper can be integrated by a retailer in less than a day. Banana Flame deployed the software to offer a virtual dressing room for online shoppers to "try on" the clothes virtually on Banana Flame's website. On July 10, 2012, Zugara released an
API An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...
for the Webcam Social Shopper for ecommerce platform integration. PrestaShop began offering the new Webcam Social Shopper module to its 127,000 retailers that same month. On October 3, 2013, Zugara released a Kinect enabled version of the Webcam Social Shopper software called, "WSS For Kiosks". On December 10, 2013,
PayPal PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments system in the majority of countries that support online money transfers, and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper ...
debuted a
mobile payments A mobile payment, also referred to as mobile money, mobile money transfer and mobile wallet, is any of various payment processing services operated under financial regulations and performed from or via a mobile device, as the cardinal class of d ...
enhanced version of WSS For Kiosks at the LeWeb conference in Paris.


Initial criticism

Virtual Dressing Room software, such as the Webcam Social Shopper, received early criticism for not helping users determine the fit of a virtual garment. However, subsequent users of the software have noted its effectiveness when matching colors while trying on dresses. The company has stated that the software simulates the "at the rack" moment found in physical retail stores when shoppers hold items of clothing up to themselves."Another Blow To Retailers Virtual Dressing Rooms"
Sydney Morning Herald, 9 August 2011, retrieved 4 July 2012
With the growing popularity of
ecommerce E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. E-commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain managemen ...
, The Webcam Social Shopper has also been cited as a tool for online shoppers that might potentially decrease sales at
brick and mortar Brick and mortar (also bricks and mortar or B&M) refers to a physical presence of an organization or business in a building or other structure. The term ''brick-and-mortar business'' is often used to refer to a company that possesses or leases r ...
retailers.


Reviews

TIME magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Ma ...
cited the Webcam Social Shopper as one of the few useful augmented reality applications that could be advantageous to both retailers and consumers.
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
also addressed the Webcam Social Shopper software in an article entitled, "Brands Embrace An Augmented Reality". In the article, a young woman used the Webcam Social Shopper software on Banana Flame's retail site and ended up buying a dress as it helped her make a purchase decision. Major news sources such as
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
, have also profiled The Webcam Social Shopper in a segment on augmented reality.


Results

Internet Retailer published a report on Virtual Fitting Rooms and Fit Simulators on February 1, 2012. Danish social shopping comparison site LazyLazy.com deployed the Webcam Social Shopper in late 2011 and saw its conversion rate immediately jump with 17% of shoppers using the software converting 2 to 3 times more than those who did not use the software. In February 2012, the
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...
brand,
Barbie Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by American toy company Mattel, Inc. and launched on March 9, 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. ...
, used a kiosk-enabled version of the Webcam Social Shopper for a
New York Fashion Week New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general publ ...
event where attendees could try on virtual Barbie outfits. Data released by Zugara, showed that the web version of the Barbie Dream Closet software showed increased usage over a 3-month period. From February 2012 to April 2012 use of the software increased from 20% to 33% and 50% of those users took an average of 6 photos each."Barbie Augmented Reality Data"
We Are Organized Chaos, 29 May 2012, retrieved 4 July 2012


External links

Online retailers featuring the Webcam Social Shopper on their online stores:
Barbie's Dream Closet Official Website
(United States)
LazyLazy
(Denmark)
K-Bee Leotards
(United States) * Zawara (Malaysia)
FRENCH MODE - French Luxury Fashion Designers and Web Agency
(Worldwide)

(Worldwide)
La Mania
(Poland)
Scrubtastic
(United States)
LoWed
(Italy)
Lookz
(Russia) Other Links:
Zugara Company Website

Webcam Social Shopper Official Website


References

{{reflist Augmented reality Online clothing retailers Business software