Walmart to Acquire Israeli Virtual Fitting Platform Zeekit
The price was not disclosed.
Zeekit Promo Pic
American retailing giant Walmart is buying Israeli Startup Zeekit. Zeekit offers a virtual fitting platform for people who buy new clothes online. The sale price was not disclosed.
Founded in 2013 by Yael Vizel its CEO, Alon Kristal, CTO, and Nir Appleboim, vice president of research and development, Zeekit that offers a new, more interactive shopping experience for the world of fashion. Combining fashion and technology, Zeekit boasts that it has developed the first “dynamic Virtual Fitting Room, allowing everyone to see themselves in any item of clothing found online.”
Zeekit says that its patented technology has “finally cracked the code of Virtual Try-On, and can seamlessly integrate an entire catalog of products in a matter of hours to allow customers to virtually try-on clothes using incredibly realistic AR.”
So the idea here is that people can see how they look in clothing before they buy it, without actually coming into a store and trying it on in the fitting room. This is certainly a plus for all online retailers. And at times like the Covid shutdowns this would certainly have come in handy for every retailer, Walmart included. Coronavirus type disruptions notwithstanding, the World has already been moving towards online only shopping and an end to brick and mortar stores for some time now.
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Zeekit says that using its technology allows customers to have a more realistic idea of what the garment would look like on multiple sized models with different body types or even on themselves. The Switch Model button can be plugged into any retail website using a simple line of code. Zeekit has lead companies to the likes of ASOS, Tommy Hilfiger, Macy’s and more to see improved conversion rates as well as reduced return rates.
Three years ago, Zeekit partnered with Amazon in a collaboration for the virtual try-on of wedding dresses via a mobile phone. Walmart has been expanding its online presence as well as what it offers consumers and so is moving into a position to be a direct competitor with Amazon. So the acquisition of a firm like Zeekit makes sense.
Denise Incandela, EVP of Apparel and Private Brands, Walmart U.S., Said in a blog post, “I’m thrilled to announce Walmart’s plan to acquire Zeekit, a female-founded, Israeli-based company that combines fashion and technology through its dynamic virtual fitting room platform to create a significantly enhanced customer and social experience.”
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Walmart explains that with Zeekit’s technology, its customers will soon be able to virtually try on items from a growing assortment of national brands like Free People, Champion and Levi’s Strauss, as well as a mix of exclusive brands, including private brands like Time and Tru, Terra & Sky, Wonder Nation and George, and elevated brands like ELOQUII Elements, Free Assembly, Scoop and Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara.
“When the experience is live on Walmart.com, customers will simply upload their picture or choose from a series of models that best represent their height, shape and skin tone to instantly see themselves in any item of clothing, mimicking the experience of trying on clothes in a store,” says the company. “They can even share their virtual outfits with friends for a second opinion. This brings an inclusive and social experience to digital shopping.”
