The Moodies – Metaverse Initiative
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ARI – Beauty in the Metaverse
In a dynamic move to redefine the beauty retail experience, leading state-owned travel retailer ARI introduced a Virtual Try On service at TheLoop.ie, its ecommerce platform in Ireland. This initiative, launched in collaboration with L’Oréal, has helped to reshape digital make-up shopping for travellers at Dublin and Cork airports.
ARI embarked on a significant overhaul of TheLoop.ie in 2019. The objective was clear: modernise the outdated ecommerce platform and introduce advanced features for improved digital convenience and pre-ordering capabilities.
The strategic partnership with L’Oréal in October 2022 positioned ARI as the first travel retailer to launch ModiFace technology in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa markets. The metaverse concept fits well with ARI’s recalibrated customer value proposition, which focuses on retail offerings that drive commercial success, including hyperconnectivity.
The Beauty in the Metaverse initiative had three primary objectives – personalise the online shopping experience, replicate in-store feel and boost customer confidence when shopping online for make-up.
ARI helped pioneer the Virtual Try-On digital service in travel retail
The ARI ecommerce team, stationed at the Digital Centre of Excellence in Dublin, played a pivotal role in its making. Through constant analysis and staying ahead of technological trends, the team identified opportunities to increase digital engagement in the travel retail ecommerce sector.
The first step was collaborating with L’Oréal to integrate the ModiFace software development kit on the Salesforce-powered The Loop website for L’Oréal-owned brands including Lancôme, Armani and YSL Beauty. The functionality was achieved through multiple development sprints and testing cycles.
ARI also conducted in-depth evaluation of implementation strategies for Beauty in the Metaverse. To enhance the user experience, targeted design modifications were made to the makeup product listing page and product detail page to incorporate the ‘Try Now’ function.
Employing augmented reality and artificial intelligence, this tool allows customers to virtually try on products in Live Mode or by uploading photographs. They can also save and share preferred product shades and images for future reference.
The Virtual Try On service aligns with the shift towards online shopping since the pandemic. Customers can purchase beauty products up to 90 days before their flight and collect at the airport on departure or return.
The retailer noted that as a result customers now spend three times longer on the website and their likelihood of making a purchase has increased by +50%. Beyond the enhanced shopping experience, the initiative encourages sustainability, offering a hygienic and waste-free way to test beauty products.
ARI Global Head of Ecommerce & Innovation Sarah Jane Lynch said, “Virtual Try On technology brings convenience and confidence to the shopping experience. It’s a valuable asset to the ecommerce business and has helped us further growth and customer satisfaction.
“The way consumers discover, test and buy beauty products is evolving quickly. These days shoppers expect more personalised connections and advice. ModiFace harnesses artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies to provide a personalised and customised experience in a low-touch economy.”
Image courtesy: The Loop Duty Free
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