Virtual Try-On in Google Search: The Future of Online Shopping for E-Commerce

Google is redefining the online shopping journey by integrating virtual try-on technology directly into its search results. While the technology itself isn't new, its placement at the point of discovery is a major shift for the retail industry.

This move takes the try-on experience from a brand-specific tool to a core part of how millions of consumers will now find, evaluate, and engage with fashion online.

Bringing the Fitting Room to the Search Page

The significance of Google's move lies in where the try-on experience now happens. By embedding a dynamic virtual fitting room directly within the search results, Google has shifted this crucial interaction to the very beginning of the shopping journey. Users can now see product listings, try them on, and initiate a purchase right on the search page!

This AI clothes changer technology is advanced enough to simulate how fabric drapes, folds, and stretches across different body types. It effectively creates a dynamic virtual fitting room directly within the search results, moving far beyond a simple overlay.

Boosting Shopper Confidence

By integrating a virtual try-on directly into the search page, Google is shortening the path from discovery to purchase. This move eliminates several steps in the traditional e-commerce journey.

Customers no longer need to click through to a website, find the right product, and then hope for a try-on feature.

The critical evaluation step of trying on clothes now happens at the very beginning, which builds shopper confidence and reduces the guesswork that leads to abandoned carts.

This also introduces a new level of accessibility. As this is integrated within Google Search itself, smaller merchants can participate without needing dedicated solutions.

For shoppers, it offers deep personalization and reduces friction, as they can see how a garment looks on their own body by just uploading a single photo. While this approach is less accurate than some existing solutions, it is good enough for most use cases and creates a more relevant and engaging interaction right from the start

Reshaping the Competitive Landscape

Google's solution tackles the fit issue at a much earlier stage of the user's purchase journey, compared to Try Before You Buy programs which shift the fitting room to the customer's home. By integrating the feature directly into search results, Google brings the try-on experience to the very point of discovery. This is a deeper integration into the shopping journey, as the decision to "try on" happens before a customer even clicks through to a brand's website.

The Future of Digital Fashion

Google's virtual try-on inside Search is a preview of what the online shopping landscape is going to look like in the next few years. With the potential to incorporate AR features in the future, customers could move from seeing a product on a static image to seeing it on themselves via their camera, all without leaving Google. This fundamentally alters the role of a brand's website, making the initial try-on experience on the search page the most influential factor in a customer's decision to click through.

The growing number of on-page shopping features might raise concerns about a reduction in website visitors (similar to those caused by the rollout of AI overviews). However, users visiting the page after the virtual try-on will have a higher purchase intent. The pricing that Google sets for this service will also determine what prices brands can offer to the buyer on Google's platform compared to their own website. On top of this, the virtual try-on feature will help merchants appeal to and convert customers who were not actively considering their website or brand. Taken together, these advantages will more than offset the challenges presented by this technology.

Is there a way to virtually try on clothes?

Yes, you can try on clothes virtually. Virtual try-ons generally use images or 3D models of the apparel. You simply need to provide a picture or several pictures, depending on the specific technology being used. After your photo(s) have been uploaded, you can see an overlay of the product on your body. Depending on the platform, this overlay can be static or interactive.

Can AI help me pick an outfit?

Yes, AI is increasingly being used as a virtual stylist. Beyond just showing you how a single item looks, Shop AI can analyze your preferences and suggest entire outfits. An AI clothes changer can show you different combinations, helping you visualize how a new piece might work with items you already own, making it much easier to decide what to buy.