Freaked Out by ‘Snoopy’ Trial Rooms? Try a Virtual One Instead

After Smriti Irani got spooked by a SnoopCam in Goa, gals are feeling safer going to ‘virtual’ trial rooms.

She strolls into a store, sees something she likes and then, steps into the trial room to try it on. Not anymore, it appears. With the latest Goa trial room camera fiasco still fresh on her mind, she is petrified and uneasy. Is a camera ‘peeping’?

Smart retailers have quickly realized the impact that this could have on sales, and have tapped into tech platforms like Coitor.com, Torchsight and Shopsense to lure women buyers in again.

Harsh Shah, co-founder of Shopsense, says his ‘virtual shopping’ platform has been adopted by many stores (“about a 100”, claims Shah) – including big brands like Nike, Nautica, Levi’s, Flying Machine and Satya Paul.

How The Virtual Trial Room Works

Shopsense users will have a virtual screen with options to select one’s body type. Then, key in the clothes they want to try on. The screen allows ‘mixing and matching’. You can swap shirts for tops, pants for dresses, no limits.

But Harsh Shah is cautious about how quickly shoppers may switch to virtual trial rooms:

It’s still too early to tell – although we have had eager customers calling in the past few days. Having said that, I’d like to assert that I don’t believe a virtual trial room will ever replace an actual one.

- Harsh Shah, Co-Founder, Shopsense

What it will do, however, is reduce the time a customer would spend in ‘trying’ various options, and so increase the likelihood of making a purchase.

The virtual trial room also gives one the option of sharing pictures while trying on clothes, through Whatsapp, Facebook and email – thus allowing you to take opinions from friends and family instead of having them peek through a door.

Men Shopping ‘Virtually’ Too

Most surprising was the revelation that men have been accessing portals like Shopsense, more than women. Shah believes it’s because men often like to shop quickly, while women still like to have the physical feel of garments, and care less about time spent. But after SnoopCam, he feels more women will make the switch.

So, the next time you’re strolling by a fashionable window and are tempted to try on an article? Don’t hold back. Simply click, login, select, and pick. Instead of drape.