Project description
Body view is a “virtual fitting-room”. The service is mentioned for the remote trying the clothes picture on your photo. So-called augmented reality serves the basis for this technology. The clothes are tried on in 2D (widely spread) or 3D format (is just beginning to develop). The information about the person’s sizes is sent from Kinect.
Target group: Clothes buyers at the Internet-shops.
Revenue: Monthly fee for the service using or percentage of the “tried on clothes item” purchase.
Comparison
Virtual Interactive Podium (VIPodium) project ofFitting Reality Company is a virtual fitting-room on the augmented reality basis. Kinect takes the measurements (bust, waist and hips) while the user is turning around in front of the device. Then a unique ShapeID is recorded. The measurement error makes about 1-2 cm. After you determine the body type the application recommends the best clothes items. The project is approved by Microsoft BizSpark One and received investments.
Swivel is a virtual fitting-room from an American Internet-shop FaceCake that lets every buyer to try new clothes on online without leaving his or her homeplace. The system is based on Windows Embedded and Kinect for Windows. It was tested during New York FashionWeek where it was a great success. The system allows to choose clothes, accessories and makeup. The user doesn’t need any additional equipment.
Fits.me is the first clothes trying imitation with the use of robot-based dummies. After the user chooses some item, he or she enters the measurements (height, bust, waist, hips, etc.) to generate the model. Then the picture of how the clothes will look on the person of this body type will appear on the screen. The system can prompt what size you should choose and point to the possible problems if the collar is too tight or the sleeves are too long for example. The project has some partners but it has not become popular yet. That might be due to the high service price. They say that Fits.me helps the web-companies to increase their sales by 57% and the returns fall by 35%.
Bodymetrics Company developed the first 3D scanner for a human body and tested it in London Mall. The scanner is equipped with 3D-sensors from PrimeSense known by Kinect. It detects all the body sizes and silhouette accurately and a special application allows to choose the clothes of the right size basing on over 100 parameters calculation without the need of trying the clothes on. After the device took all the measurements the user can download the information at the website where it is used to choose the clothes that fit you best. In the future, these scanners can help people to “digitize” their bodies and use the model to order clothes at various online-shops worldwide.
Key success factors:
1. Aggressive development– the market share occupation strategy. At later stages successful SaaS-companies choose different strategies including aggressive take-over and encroachment but the earlier stages are usually remarkable for the market share orientation.
2. Marketing. The monetization model of SaaS business is subscription-based. It means that every customer re-purchases something after he or she makes the first purchase every specified period of time. That’s why the marketing budget is aimed at both attracting and retaining the customers.
3. Unique technology. SaaS is often based on substituting the processes with the more efficient ones. Most SaaS services work in large competitive markets and have to occupy or create relatively small niches that requires unique offer and product that means original technology in the software market.
4. Upgrade. The need to meet the unstable market requirements makes the companies to upgrade and improve their product. Due to the high competitiveness of the market, continuous product upgrade (the own product attack strategy) must be the only beneficial solution.
Advice:
1. Analysts often call the virtual fitting-room market the growing one and predict a great future for it: it is easy to monetize that’s why it looks quite attractive. The development strategies for this market stage determine the shares of the key players that will be difficult to change in the future.
2. The balance of aggressive development and product/service quality is of vital importance.
3. You can have your percentage of the product item purchase or get money for the service use as a whole. The most important is that you should remember to collect statistics to improve your own product.
4. The partnership with a number of companies will give a good start.
5. The faster and better you create your service infrastructure the more are the chances to be noticed. You can even be able to make use of synergistic effect.
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