Dive Brief:

• Further extending AR capabilities, Amazon partnered with Hexa, the 3D visualization company, on Tuesday to let sellers create 3D images, immersive 360 visualizations, virtual try-ons and augmented reality content for their Amazon product pages, according to a company press release.
• Amazon sellers will be able to upload their Amazon Standard Identification Number into Hexa’s content management systems to automatically convert images into 3D models. 
• The release says the technology is aimed at improving online shoppers’ experience and increasing seller conversion rates. 

Dive Insight:

The collaboration with Hexa marks Amazon’s continued experimentation with augmented reality. With Hexa’s technology, Amazon sellers can also create high-definition marketing materials, such as packshots and lifestyle images, from their 3D images, Hexa Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Clark said in a statement. 

“Working with Amazon has opened up a whole new distribution channel for our partners,” Gavin Goodvach, Hexa’s vice president of partnerships, said in a statement. “Brands now have the ability to distribute 3D experiences and deliver high quantity immersive shopping to Amazon’s global network of customers using Hexa’s proprietary content delivery network.” 

For years, Amazon has been experimenting with augmented reality shopping features. In 2020, the e-commerce giant launched its Room Decorator tool, which lets shoppers virtually visualize furniture in their homes. Last year, the company expanded its AR capabilities for shoes and eyewear. In June, Amazon Fashion introduced its virtual try-on tool for shoes from brands like Adidas, Reebok, New Balance and Puma. Amazon Fashion later partnered with Snapchat to release a virtual try-on tool for eyewear, allowing shoppers to try on brands like Oakley, Persol and Costa Del Mar.

Snap itself has also courted brands and retailers with its AR technology in recent years in response to consumers’ desire for the tool. In March, the company announced the creation of its AR Enterprise Services division, which allows businesses to integrate its augmented reality technology into their own operations. Last June, the company released survey results indicating that 80% of survey respondents felt more confident in their purchases when using AR technology.