Online shopping is growing dramatically. In 2018, approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide purchased goods online, according to Statista. Online sales then increased massively in 2020 during stay-at-home orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, when shopping online, consumers don’t have the opportunity to try products on before buying them, leading to return rates skyrocketing in recent years. In 2020, around 15-40% of online purchases were returned, with most of them being apparel. Google is looking to reduce those return rates with its newest AR filters that allow users to virtually try on makeup with Google Search before buying it.
Shopping for beauty products can be particularly challenging if you can’t try them on to see if the colors complement your skin. It’s so easy to get the wrong product without seeing it up close. Google is joining forces with Perfect Corp and ModiFace to help you better visualize countless eyeshadow and lipstick shades from top brands like MAC Cosmetics, L’Oreal, Black Opal, Charlotte Tilbury, and Estée Lauder.
Now, when consumers search for a makeup product on Google – like “L’Oreal’s Infallible Paints Metallic Eyeshadow” or “MAC’s Matte Lipstick,” for example – they’ll find the virtual try-on shopping experience. From there, they can try on a range of colors and compare shades to their skin tone by uploading a photo or opening the camera and trying it on using augmented reality (AR).
In addition to the new AR feature, Google will show recommendations from beauty, apparel, home and garden enthusiasts and experts in your Discover feed and Google Shopping. Now, if you see an item you like, you’ll be able to see their personal opinions on it, which should further help reduce return rates.
