Virtual Try-On for E-Commerce: Does It Really Increase Sales?

Higher Conversion Rates & Lower Returns — What Brands Report

The strongest evidence that virtual try-on works comes directly from brands and large retail pilots.

Proven Sales Uplift

Onix Systems: 30% Sales Lift — A 2025 Onix Systems retail audit found that brands adding VTO experienced up to a 30% increase in sales alongside a 20% drop in returns.¹

Early Conversion Wins

Mocky.ai Case Study — A fashion retailer piloting Mocky.ai reported a 32% conversion lift in the first month of deployment, with returns dropping by 28% as shoppers previewed multiple styles in seconds.²

Rapid iteration on product imagery made it effortless to compare colorways, keeping visitors on the PDP instead of bouncing.

High Adoption Among Customers

Zalando’s virtual fitting-room pilot showed strong consumer demand. More than 80,000 shoppers created digital avatars to test clothing virtually. Even at the exploratory stage, this level of adoption signals that customers are ready for — and actively seeking — personalized fit technology.

Independent Research Matches Real-World Data

AR/VR Retail Review 2025 — A cross-retailer AR/VR review measured a 20% conversion lift and a 25% drop in returns for merchants adopting VTO or advanced visualization tooling.

The trend held steady across apparel, footwear, accessories, and beauty, signaling that the behavioral shift is category-agnostic.³

Strongest Results in Beauty and Eyewear

Brands like Sephora, MAC, and Warby Parker have consistently reported that VTO reduces incorrect shade or fit selections. For many of these retailers, virtual try-on has become one of the most-used features in their apps, because it directly helps customers choose the right product the first time.

Why Virtual Try-On Increases Sales

The performance gains from VTO come from several behavioral and psychological effects that happen during shopping.

1. It Removes Hesitation. A large portion of abandoned carts can be traced to uncertainty. When customers actually see themselves wearing the item — not just looking at a model — they no longer need to guess. This clarity leads to more confident decisions, which naturally lifts conversion rates.
2. It Reduces Returns by Aligning Expectations. Returns in fashion and beauty often happen because “the item didn’t look the same in real life.” VTO prevents that mismatch. When customers see accurate fit, drape, length, color, and proportions in advance, the chances of surprise or disappointment are lower. This is why brands often report returns dropping between 15% and 30% after adding try-on.
3. It Encourages Exploration. Virtual try-on adds an interactive layer to the shopping experience. Shoppers stay longer on the page, try more colors, compare variations, and often look at additional items. Increased engagement nearly always correlates with higher purchase likelihood.
4. It Increases Average Order Value. Because VTO makes styling easier, many shoppers end up building full looks rather than buying one item. A customer who sees that a top, jacket, and accessory all look good together is more likely to add multiple items to their cart.

Summary Insight

Yes. The numbers from real brands, independent studies, and live pilots all align: virtual try-on improves the ecommerce metrics that matter most.

“Virtual try-on improves every major e-commerce metric that matters—conversion, returns, and engagement.”

Retailers see:

• 20–32% higher conversion rates
• up to 30% more sales
• 15–30% fewer returns
• higher customer confidence and engagement

Virtual try-on is quickly shifting from an interesting add-on to an essential part of a modern product page. As consumers get more comfortable with digital previews and AI-assisted shopping, VTO will become a must-have feature for fashion and beauty brands that want to stay competitive.

Footnotes and References