Online retailers bet big on 'virtual trial' apps

Online retailers selling interior decorations items and fashion apparel are betting big on 'virtual trial' applications to make it easier for customers to 'test' merchandise before the actual purchase.

According Rajat Nagrath, CEO, Kingschest.com, a home décor portal, virtual technology allows the consumer to fine tune their choice.

"We are just two months old and so far around 7,500 visitors of our site have used our virtual application where in anticipation you can imagine your future room by designing it in simple steps," Nagrath told PTI.

He said the number of visitors is expected to go up to 1,00,000 by the end of this year. Online retailing in India is about Rs. 4,500 crore and certain products have already reached 20 percent of the overall product segment sales, according to experts.

"We expect that it would reach 45 to 50 percent in the next five years. Travel has been the biggest segment of online sales and will continue to be the same," Nagrath said.

Another website Zovi.com has launched a virtual trial room called 'Zovi Eye.' The company said the technology will help buyers make a purchase decision as they view themselves in their desired apparel via an interactive web-cam application.

Monappa Nalyanda, marketing head, Zovi.com said on an average the site gets 70,000 visitors and 2,000 transactions daily basis with an average transaction value of Rs. 10,000.

Zovi has lined up a couple of similar technological innovations for the near future, Nalyanda said adding slow Internet connectivity in India is a challenge for the growth of online retailing in the country.