Imagine creating an industry-leading digital marketing multi-platform app that will allow clients to create their own customised clothing, controlling materials, size, lengths, style, fit, mix ’n match materials and other aspects. The app would:

• Take personal images in various stances and poses.
• Animate the photos to create a lifelike walkabout avatar interacting with real “connected friends” and models.
• Calculate body measurements that the customer can re-measure/review/alter
• Allow customers to select items and see themselves wearing the products online and
• Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to show other products based on previous purchases and computer learning.

This blog will focus on how you make the last two points HAPPEN. So with the photo taking, avatar creation and measurements taken care of, we need to concentrate on how customers would use and interact with the app.

For instance, they might select an outfit they like and then watch themselves onscreen, modelling the outfit and other selected items. Then they could make style and cloth material changes.

Then the AI engine would suggest other changes based on a variety of factors such as current fashion trends, body shape and height and previous purchase history.

Customer is then “encouraged” to make a choice and purchase the item. Sale achieved!

So, how could this be done?

To create such a beast of an app you must have an approach that gives the maximum prospect for success. You will need top-notch developers, so maybe it’s best to take advantage of world-leading UK-based talent. Take a look at the Top UK App Developers 2017 list and start to drill down on companies that give the best fit. Advise is also given in the report about selecting the right developer for you. The app should be user-friendly, entertaining, have good security especially in the area of personal information and deliver choices that make sense for each customer. Click on icon to see the full report.

It’s not so important to find an app developer with experience in your exact business sector as it is to find creative, ground-breaking, experienced, reliable developers with a proven track record.

One leading highly rated UK/Global business to look at is Intellectsoft.  They’ve delivered both mobile apps and AI for retail and global companies such as  Jaguar, Guinness, Eurostar, Harley Davidson and unnamed retail chain, banking and equity clients. Click to see blog and video.

Another well rated global company with a UK base is Fueled. Take a look at their offering – click below.

One company that is already developing some of the features needed for our app is a small independent Kickstarter called triMirror. For instance, the app allows users to virtually try on clothing that has been superimposed over the client’s customisable body avatar. Their app is quite neat and shows some of the things that could be done, however triMirror is yet to make any financial inroads in the marketplace although the small number of online reviews have been very favourable.

Jenny @triMirror is impressing the audience with her pitch @ #PitchItTO watch live here: https://t.co/SWcohl6Wjc #streaming #livefeed pic.twitter.com/Ze3QwXbIze

— opn (@Opeoplenetwork) January 20, 2017

Other companies such as Fitiquette, Fits.Me and Zugara are all working on similar or related products and this highlights that this is a major nut waiting to be cracked.

AI in retail already provides data understanding and capabilities that previously could not have been imagined, discerning patterns of purchasing and preferences, giving companies invaluable insights.

Several academic studies and reports espouse the benefits of using AI in the retail sector, with observations such as “AI is set to shake up the world”

and “Machine learning technology facilitates opportunities for the retail industry”

For potential AI strategic partners take a look at these transformative companies:

#IoT powered intelligent #retail @Microsoft @MSFT_Business @msftmfg #FutureOfRetail #InternetOfThings #DigitalTransformation #IIoT #AI #IndustrialIoT #CustomerExperience #Analytics #DataAnalytics pic.twitter.com/jJoHNuQR7R

— Wilko S. Wolters (@WSWMUC) April 4, 2018

Some development tips:

Before you even start to develop anything run some focus groups, and trial the concept, to really understand how your app should be positioned and what are the must-have capabilities and what bells and whistles should also be added. Trial the concept you propose before beginning the development process to further refine your offering and use quick-build prototypes and mock-ups where possible (Henson and Knezek, 1991).

Based on the academic papers reviewed the retail industry is moving rapidly towards the implementation of AI technology and fashion companies need to quickly understand and plan for the opportunities. It might be  scary for some marketeers proposing clients have less personal interaction but we’ve already seen AI success stories emerging from global giants such as North Face, Amazon and Google.

Some of the risks of the app approach versus trying to get customers into the store include:

• Will the customer feel comfortable interacting in this way for their fashion buying?
• Will other companies get there first or make it better? You don’t want to be out-shone by your rivals.
• Will the app equal or better the experience of being in store and trying the actual clothes on?
• Can AI be properly harnessed to support the customer to make buying decisions?
• Will the app be too expensive to develop or support, or will there be development and implementation over-runs
• Will the appropriate developer be chosen who can truly delivery industry disruption technology?

Retail is a cut-throat business and if you want to stay on top you must fight to stay ahead and push the boundaries at all times. Developing a go-to app that gives customers both value and something extra but that also brings them back time and again is the ultimate goal. Deliver function, something unique like custom clothing, meaningful AI assistance and guidance, latest fashions and you just may be able to get that elusive competitive edge.

 

 

References:

Artificial Intelligence Market Analysis By Solution (Hardware, Software, Services), By Technology (Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Machine Vision), By End-use, By Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2018 – 2025.  [Online]. Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/artificial-intelligence-ai-market Last accessed on [4th April 2018].

Henson, K. and Knezek, G. (1991). The Use of Prototyping for Educational Software Development. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 24(2), pp.230-239.

Nel, K. (2017). Artificial Intelligence Opportunities in Retail. BIJOU Commerce. Lowe’s Innovation Labs. [Online]. Available at: https://www.bijoucommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/AI-white-paper-21.06.pdf Last accessed on [4th April 2018].