Bottom line? Virtual try-on isn’t just cheaper to run – it makes more money. You’ll spend less on returns, reach more customers, and sell more products.
This guide breaks down the exact costs, ROI calculations, and steps to get started with virtual try-on tech.
Cost Comparison
Here’s what the numbers tell us about physical stores vs. virtual try-on systems.
Physical Store Costs
A physical store burns through cash FAST:
Cost Category
Monthly Expenses
Annual Total
Rent/Lease
$3,000-$15,000
$36,000-$180,000
Insurance
$500-$2,000
$6,000-$24,000
Staff Wages
$8,000-$20,000
$96,000-$240,000
Inventory Storage
$2,000-$5,000
$24,000-$60,000
Utilities
$500-$1,500
$6,000-$18,000
And here’s the kicker: stores lose $550 billion each year on returns alone.
Virtual Try-On Setup Costs
Virtual try-on needs some upfront investment:
Setup Component
Cost Range
Software Development
$50,000-$250,000
3D Scanning Equipment
$20,000-$100,000
Cloud Storage (yearly)
$5,000-$20,000
E-commerce Integration
$10,000-$50,000
Product Photography
$10,000-$50,000
Don’t want to build from scratch? Here are some ready-to-go options:
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Features | | — | — | | PICTOFiT | $99 | Up to 1,000 visitors, 5 2D items | | YouCam Makeup | $549 | Cosmetic try-ons, 14-day trial | | AstraFit | $129 | Sizing recommendations |
"AR Try-Ons are reshaping this retail aspect by providing customers with a virtual appropriate room experience from their homes." – Alon Grinshpoon, Founder & CEO at echo3D
Here’s the bottom line: Virtual try-ons cost less than running a physical store for one year. Better yet? They slash return rates by 64%. That’s money in your pocket.
Success Measurements
Let’s look at how virtual try-on compares to physical stores in hard numbers.
Sales Success Rates
Here’s what happens when browsers become buyers:
Shopping Method
Browser-to-Buyer Rate
Extra Sales Impact
Physical Stores
10-15%
Base comparison
Standard Online
2-3%
-70% vs stores
With Virtual Try-on
40-50% higher
+94% conversion vs standard online
The numbers speak for themselves: Shopify found that adding AR to products boosts conversions by 94% compared to standard online shopping.
Product Return Numbers
Returns eat into profits. Here’s what the data shows:
Shopping Type
Return Rate
Annual Cost Impact
In-Store
10.0%
$373 billion
Online (No Try-on)
26.4%
$248 billion
Online with Virtual Try-on Results by Company:
– Build.com
-22% vs standard
Saved millions in returns
– Macy’s VR
Under 2%
Beat 5-7% industry standard
– SeekXR clients
-25% vs standard
Major savings for Overstock
– Shopify merchants
-40% vs standard
Across multiple categories
Let’s break down what this means:
Stores lose $14.50 to returns for every $100 in sales
58% of shoppers buy multiple sizes and send back what doesn’t work
Size problems cause 42% of returns
"Turning store visits into touchless brand experiences in a fun, hygienic and effective way meets the irreplaceable comfort of shopping from your couch with confidence." – Doug Stephens, Author of "Resurrecting Retail: The Future of Business in a Post-Pandemic World"
Here’s how companies cut returns with virtual try-on:
1822 Denim : Uses 2 customer photos for sizingASOS : Shows clothes on similar body typesWarby Parker : Virtual glasses try-on cuts returnsKnix : Runs thousands of virtual fittings monthly
Bottom line: Virtual try-on helps stores boost sales AND cut return costs.
Here’s what happens when people shop in different ways:
Shopping Method
Time Investment
Customer Behavior
Physical Store
1-2 hours
Travel, parking, browsing, fitting rooms, checkout
Standard Online
30-60 mins
25-31% of shoppers research products
Virtual Try-on
10-30 mins
30-40% of customers make faster decisions
Want to know something cool? EQ3’s furniture shoppers who used AR:
Spent 42% less time making decisions
Bought stuff 2x faster
Were 112% more likely to buy
Check out these numbers:
Tool
What It Does
The Results
Sephora Virtual ArtistShows makeup on your face
58% fewer returns
IKEA AR View Places furniture in your room
2x bigger orders
Valentino Virtual Try-on
Shows how clothes fit
More first-time buyers
Wayfair Room Planner
Shows items in your space
40% more sales
Here’s what online shopping looks like today:
58% of people shop online every week
10% buy something EVERY day
89-96% spend at least 10 minutes researching
20-32% compare options for hours
Virtual try-on tools make shopping better by:
Showing how products look in your space
Letting you test different options
Giving you exact measurements
Finding what matches your style
Bottom line? AR tools help you shop faster AND smarter. You make better choices, return less stuff, and save time and money. It’s a win-win for stores and shoppers.
Money Impact
Here’s how virtual try-on stacks up against physical stores when it comes to money:
Income Analysis
The numbers tell an interesting story:
Metric
Virtual Try-on
Physical Stores
Add-to-Cart Rate
20.15% (Oceane)
3% (Industry avg.)
Order Value
+33% higher
Baseline
Conversion Rate
+94% with AR
Standard rates
Sales Speed
2x faster purchases
Regular pace
Want to see what this means in real money? Check these out:
Boca Rosa hit $900,000 in sales in just 4 hours using TINT
Smitten Cosmetics added 50 global resellers in 3 months
Gunners boosted orders by 40% after adding AR
Running Costs
Here’s what it costs to keep the lights on:
Expense Type
Virtual Try-on
Physical Stores
Returns Processing
$58 per return, -64% returns
$58 per return
Setup Costs
$19-Custom/month (Viewit 3D )
$$$$ (rent, utilities)
Inventory
Digital models only
Physical stock needed
Staff Needs
Online support team
Full retail staff
The numbers from the National Retail Federation paint a clear picture:
Returns hit retailers for $761 billion in 2022
Over half (52%) of clothing returns? Wrong size
Virtual try-on drops returns by up to 36%
Bottom line? Virtual try-on saves money by:
Slashing return costs
Cutting back on physical space
Running with smaller teams
Managing less inventory
Here’s proof it’s catching on: The AR market jumped from $5.9 billion in 2019 to $24.2 billion in 2021. Businesses aren’t just trying it – they’re betting on it.
Growth Potential
Let’s look at the numbers behind virtual try-on vs physical stores:
Aspect
Virtual Try-on
Physical Stores
Customer Base
Global reach, 24/7 access
Limited by location
Market Size
$9.17B (2023) to $46.42B (2030)
Location-dependent
Growth Rate
26.4% CAGR (2024-2030)
Varies by region
User Base
1.5B current users, 4.3B by 2025
In-store traffic only
Geographic Coverage
US: 24% CAGR, Asia: 28% CAGR
Single location reach
Here’s what these numbers mean:
North America owns 39.04% of the market. But check this out: Asia Pacific markets (like India) are growing FAST at 30%+ rates.
Want to know the BIGGEST difference between virtual and physical? Resources.
Resource Type
Virtual Try-on Impact
Physical Store Impact
Space
Digital models only
Physical inventory space
Inventory
No physical stock needed
Full stock per location
Staff
Online support team
Full retail staff per store
Technology
3D/AR platform ($19/month)
POS systems, security
Market Testing
Quick digital updates
Physical merchandise cycles
Big brands are jumping on board:
H&M: Launched virtual dressing rooms in Germany (2021)
Walmart: Partnered with Zeekit (2022) for US-wide virtual try-on
Burberry: Opened a virtual store in Japan (2021)
The numbers don’t lie:
E-commerce jumped from 15% (2019) to 21% (2021) of total retail sales
Online shopping will hit $5.4 trillion by 2026 (up from $3.3 trillion)
71% of buyers want AR-enabled shopping
40% will pay MORE for AR try-before-buy
Virtual product interaction boosts conversion rates by 94%
Bottom line? Virtual try-on is growing faster and costs less than physical stores. Plus, it reaches WAY more people.
sbb-itb-54fdcc3 Setup Requirements
Component
Virtual Try-On
Physical Store
Basic Tech
Web platform, 3D viewer
POS system, security cameras
Software
AR platform ($19/month)
Inventory management system
Hardware
Server space, computers
Cash registers, displays
Staff Tools
Online support dashboard
Physical equipment
Integration
E-commerce platform plugins
Store management software
Tech Needs
Here’s what you NEED to run virtual try-on:
Tech Component
Purpose
Cost Range
3D Models Product visualization
$50-200 per item
AR Platform
Powers try-on experience
$19-500/month
Web Integration
E-commerce connection
$0-100/month
Cloud Storage
Model hosting
$20-200/month
Analytics Tools
Performance tracking
Included in AR platform
Want to get started? Here’s how:
Choose an AR platform : Viewit 3D costs $19/monthCreate 3D models : Get .GLB files of your productsAdd product info : Upload your CSV filesTest everything : Make sure it worksConnect to your store : Link to your e-commerce platform
Employee Training
Training Area
Time Required
Focus Points
Basic System
25-30 minutes
Platform navigation
Customer Support
2-3 hours
Helping users with AR
Tech Issues
1-2 hours
Common problem fixes
Data Analysis
1-2 hours
Reading metrics
Let’s look at what VR training can do:
Walmart cut their training time from 8 hours to just 30 minutes. IKEA runs AR training in 16 languages. Lowe’s uses VR to teach product knowledge.
Your team needs to know:
How to guide customers through virtual try-on
Basic tech troubleshooting
Customer feedback collection
Product info updates
Here’s a fact that might surprise you: PwC found VR-trained employees focus 4x better than those in classrooms.
Success Stories
Here’s what happens when brands use virtual try-on tech:
Brand
Results
Implementation
Nike
Lower returns + higher app sales
Nike Fit (AR shoe sizing)
Wacoal
60% conversion (new customers)
Virtual bra scanner
Bailey Nielsen
Sales up 400% (AU), 600% (CA)
Eyewear try-on
Nike made this happen by buying Invertex from Tel Aviv. They tested their AR tech in stores across Pasadena, Seattle, and Dallas. Here’s what Nike’s VP of Digital Products, Michael Martin, said about it:
"If the shoe that was designed around that last was designed with one of our more flexible fabrics, then that toe is not going to be such a problem."
More brands are jumping on board:
Company
Tech
What Happened
Sephora
PulpoAR makeup try-on
Online sales up 35%
Ray-Ban
Face-mapping glasses
Fewer returns
L’Oréal
Instagram AR filters
More engagement
Baume & Mercier
Watch try-on app
Better sales
The numbers don’t lie:
60% of people want to shop where there’s AR
35% shop more with AR tools
40% will spend more for AR try-on
Take Sephora. They teamed up with PulpoAR and let people test makeup through their phones or webcams. Result? Online makeup sales shot up 35%.
"This allowed customers to experiment with different shades and styles of makeup and find products that were perfect for them, all from the comfort of their own home." – Glimpse Case Study
Big names using virtual try-on now:
Clothes : Dior, Marc Jacobs, PradaShoes : Nike Virtual ViewGlasses : Lenskart, Sunglass HutBeauty : Maybelline, Garnier
ROI Math Guide
Let’s look at how virtual try-on stacks up against physical stores in terms of returns:
Core Expenses
Cost Category
Physical Store
Virtual Try-On
Setup Costs
Rent, fixtures, inventory
Software ($10k-$100k), 3D models ($200-500 each)
Monthly Costs
Staff, utilities, stock
Platform fees ($19-custom), maintenance (20% of setup)
Marketing
Print ads, local promos
Digital ads, AR demos
Returns
Processing, restocking
Digital returns handling
Money Makers
Revenue Stream
Physical Store
Virtual Try-On
Sales Volume
20% conversion rate
Up to 94% higher conversion
Average Order
Base amount
33% higher than base
Return Savings
Standard returns
64% fewer returns
Customer Value
Regular pricing
Premium pricing options
Here’s the simple math behind it:
Virtual Try-On ROI Formula:
ROI = (Revenue + Return Savings - Setup Costs - Monthly Costs) / Total Investment
Real Brand Results:
Brand
Investment
Results
Timeframe
Gunners
3D Model Creation +40% orders, -5% returns
First month
Oceane
AR Integration +573% cart adds (3% to 20.15%)
30 days
Boca Rosa
TINT Platform
$900k sales from 64,413 items
4 hours
Track These Numbers:
Metric
How to Measure
Conversion Rate
Sales ÷ Visitors × 100
Return Rate
Returns ÷ Total Sales × 100
Average Order Value
Total Revenue ÷ Number of Orders
Customer Acquisition Cost
Marketing Spend ÷ New Customers
"The ROI on that is essentially unquestionable at this point, and super exciting for merchants and for buyers." – Russ Maschmeyer, Shopify’s Product Lead for AR
Here’s what this means in practice: If your store gets 1,200 visitors and makes 150 sales, you’re converting at 12.5%. Add virtual try-on, and that number jumps to 24.25% – nearly double your sales from the same traffic.
What’s Next
The AR shopping wave isn’t just coming – it’s here. And it’s about to get bigger.
Tech Changes Ahead
The numbers tell the story: AR is exploding from $40.12 billion (2022) to $1.19 trillion (2032). Here’s what’s happening right now:
Technology
Current State (2024)
Expected by 2025
AR Users
72 million (North America)
100+ million
Smart Mirrors
$3.8 billion market
$9.1 billion
Mobile AR Revenue
$24.5 billion
$36.26 billion
Virtual Try-on Usage
61% prefer AR shopping
75% expected adoption
Smart mirrors are the new fitting rooms. Walk up, pick what you want to try, and see it on your body – no undressing needed.
"The ROI on virtual try-on tech is essentially unquestionable at this point, and super exciting for merchants and for buyers." – Russ Maschmeyer, Shopify’s Product Lead for AR
Shopper Habits
The data shows how shopping habits are shifting FAST:
Behavior Change
Impact on Shopping
Fitting Room Comfort
65% of women and 54% of men avoid physical fitting rooms
Return Rates
Virtual try-on cuts returns by 64%
Purchase Speed
200% more engagement with AR vs standard photos
Social Shopping
110.4 million shoppers using social channels by end of 2024
Big brands aren’t just testing the waters – they’re diving in:
Brand
AR Implementation
Results
Rebecca Minkoff
3D Product Views 27% more orders after 3D views, 65% more after AR
Cambridge Satchel
Shopify AR Tools
Higher match confidence for bag purchases
Burberry
Virtual Coat Try-on
More color and style testing before buying
Bottom line? AR isn’t just a cool feature anymore – it’s becoming the new normal for shopping. With mobile apps and social media leading the charge, your phone is turning into your personal fitting room.
Next Steps
Here’s what you need to know about getting started with virtual try-on:
Business Size
Budget Range
Recommended Approach
Timeline
Small (<50 employees)
$5K-15K
Viewit 3D Free Plan, 20 products max
2-4 weeks
Medium (50-500)
$15K-50K
SaaS platforms with ready integrations
1-2 months
Large (500+)
$50K+
Custom AR solutions with full product catalog
3-6 months
Here’s what you’ll pay:
Cost Type
Small Business
Medium Business
Large Business
3D Models
€50-150/item
€200-350/item
€500+/item
Platform Fees
$0-19/month
$100-500/month
Custom pricing
Staff Training
1-2 days
1 week
2-3 weeks
Integration
DIY/Basic
API/Custom
Full Enterprise
1. Pick Your Products
Start with items that have high return rates:
Glasses and sunglasses
Makeup products
Furniture pieces
Clothing items
2. Get Your 3D Models
Model Type
Cost
Time to Create
Simple Items
€0 (AI-generated)
1-2 days
Basic Products
€50-150
3-5 days
Complex Items
€200-350
1-2 weeks
3. Choose Your Platform
Platform Type
Best For
Integration Time
Web-Based AR
Quick starts
1-2 weeks
Mobile Apps
Full features
2-4 weeks
Social AR
Marketing focus
1 week
4. Test and Launch
Testing Phase
Duration
Focus Areas
Internal Testing
1 week
Staff feedback
Beta Testing
2 weeks
Selected customers
Soft Launch
1 month
Limited products
Full Release
Ongoing
All products
Here’s the bottom line: Virtual fitting room sales will grow from $5.71B (2024) to $25.11B (2032). And since only 1% of retailers use AR now, you’ve got a chance to get ahead.
"The ROI on virtual try-on tech is essentially unquestionable at this point, and super exciting for merchants and for buyers." – Russ Maschmeyer, Shopify’s Product Lead for AR
My advice? Start small with high-return products. Track your results. Then scale what works.
Wrap-Up
Here’s what the data shows about virtual try-on compared to traditional shopping:
Metric
Virtual Try-On
Traditional Shopping
Return Rates
10-40% lower
24.4% average
Sales Impact
Up to 200% boost
Baseline
Customer Adoption
32% currently use
65% prefer in-store
Setup Costs
$5K-50K+
$50K-500K+ per location
Market Growth
$8.5B by 2028
Flat/declining
Want to get started? Here’s what works best for different goals:
Business Goal
Best Virtual Try-On Solution
Expected Results
Lower Returns
Size recommendation tools
10% fewer returns
Boost Sales
Full AR implementation
Up to 30% conversion boost
Test Market
Web-based AR pilot
20% order value increase
Start with these high-return product categories:
Eyewear
Makeup
Clothing
Accessories
Pick your tech solution based on your budget and timeline:
Solution Type
Investment
Timeline
Basic Web AR
$5K-15K
2-4 weeks
Mobile App
$15K-50K
1-2 months
Full Platform
$50K+
3-6 months
"The number of mobile AR users is expected to reach 1.73 billion by 2024, making virtual try-on a must-have rather than a nice-to-have feature." – Venkatesh Alagarsamy, AR Expert, Fingent
Here’s what major retailers have done:
Company
Solution
Results
Walmart
Zeekit acquisition
Enhanced photo try-on
Amazon
Mobile AR tool
Shoe try-on launch 2022
Gap
Size tech
30-day return window
Sephora
Virtual Artist
11.4% conversion boost
Track these metrics to measure success:
Return rate changes
Conversion rate impact
Average order value
Customer satisfaction scores
The bottom line? Virtual try-on cuts costs and boosts sales through lower returns, higher conversions, better customer data, and reduced operating costs.
FAQs
AR changes how people shop online. Instead of guessing what a product looks like, customers can see it right in front of them. Here’s what the numbers tell us:
Impact Area
Results
Customer Engagement
19% increase
Conversion Rate
94% higher for AR users
Purchase Value
40% willing to pay more
Time Spent Shopping
20.7% longer browsing time
Product Views
1.28x more items viewed
Look at these real-world results:
Home Depot sees 2-3x more purchases from AR users. DFS Furniture’s conversion rate jumped 112% with AR. Warby Parker cut returns by adding virtual glasses try-on. Ulta’s GLAMLab lets people test makeup looks from home.
What are the benefits of virtual try-on clothes?
Virtual try-on is changing both shopping and selling. Check out these numbers:
Benefit
Impact
Return Rate Drop
40% fewer returns
Sales Boost
Up to 200% increase
Customer Confidence
61% prefer AR shopping
Cost Savings
Less inventory needed
Market Growth
77% CAGR through 2023
"Online stores can fix returns problems – and costs – by helping customers get the right fit from the start." – Helen Scurfield, Innovation and Development Director, Asendia UK
Here’s why this matters: 46% of online clothing returns happen because clothes don’t fit right. Virtual try-on fixes this by:
Showing how clothes fit on YOU
Comparing different sizes
Suggesting your best size
Finding styles for your body type
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