Tech companies have been promising virtual sizing solutions for a long long time. Remember that weird Amazon wardrobe device? Yeah… didn’t do so hot did it. And now companies that are attempting to find solutions are wondering when they’ll have their moment.

This is especially surprising since the pandemic pushed e-commerce companies ahead 5-10 years. And this type of technology is seriously needed for e-commerce brands for the sole fact that they are struggling with a large number of returns. And it’s a little weird why they haven’t succeeded… in a time where consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable with 3D tech with movement into the metaverse.

You could probably blame a crowded market for this. Brands are doing the best they can to stand out and garner loyalty. And it’s becoming harder and harder to do this. But there are a few companies starting to make a push. A company called 3DLook is an AI-powered virtual fitting room that scans users' bodies and creates personalized avatars. Interest from investors has blown up this (with a level of activity 10 to 20 times more than last year) year with companies like 3DLook raising a total of $14.7 Million.

But companies like 3DLook face an uphill battle. They need to succeed in a place they haven’t before and create affinity for something that folks don’t really have an appetite for yet. It requires a serious behavior change, which can be a significant hurdle. But this moment can be different as we start to think about virtual worlds as an actual thing and not just a pipedream.

We’ve already started to use some of this tech. I’m sure you’ve used try-on tools for furniture and glasses? It’s a little awkward, but it does kind of work… 3D garments are more complex, but they can start to be more swallowable if the tech works.

Visualization experiences are way different than they were a few years ago. As consumers, we’re more comfortable with 3D technology that’s already in apps like Snapchat. It’s become a regular thing.

But for it to go mainstream, we’ll need to produce more data around fit preferences, different materials, styles. And Virtual goods aren’t the easiest thing to render. I mean look at the Pixelmon debacle. I think the way in is for brands to beta test with their most loyal customers, and depend on them to push this tech from the inside out. We’re a long way away, but the inevitable is right around the corner.