Foresight 25: Zero10’s AR mirror + how educating consumers is essential for Web3 strategies
A newsletter diving into the concepts, people and brands shaping the future of retail, entertainment and connectivity.
Welcome back to Foresight!
It’s been a while but we’re still here! I told myself I would only write and publish newsletters when I was inspired by something I read, and well, I’m reading a lot of repeat content these days and the really interesting concepts and ideas have been getting fewer and farther between. But here we are this week with two great ideas.
The first is an AR mirror from startup Zero10 hoping to bring the AR experiences on our phones into brick-and-mortar stores. Retailers are consistently looking for ways to engage people in-store (or simply bring them back in) and this is a good one.
The other concept we’re discussing is consumer education around Web3 technologies. With countless drops and projects launched in the past two years, it’s time to offer tools to consumers who are interested but less familiar with the tech. Read on for more.
Questions or comments? Reply to this email—let’s chat!
IDEAS, INSIGHTS & FORWARD-THINKING PERSPECTIVES
Zero10’s AR mirror for physical stores
Zero10, a technology company on a mission to create the best AR try-on experience and develop tools to accelerate and simplify the production of digital garments, is introducing a mirror that makes its AR technology available to brick-and-mortar stores. By using a screen that functions as an AR mirror, customers can experience digital fashion fitted on their image. The mirror can be built into physical stores via a digital screen, store windows or outdoor posters. The tech also gives customers the opportunity to try out-of-stock or pre-order items, something retailers don’t currently have a solution for.
Following a successful pop-up at New York Fashion Week, Zero10’s experience is designed to exceed what’s possible at home with an enhanced power source and by rendering clothing at a higher resolution. There are also plans to introduce more than one camera to the experience, which would allow for 3D body-tracking and LiDAR sensors to create a more precise fit estimation. With digital fashion considered a bridge for the industry into the next phase of the internet, brands and retailers are becoming more interested in solutions for bringing digital elements into their physical spaces. Not only does Zero10’s tech create an engaging and interactive destination, it’s also an opportunity for retailers to educate consumers on new tools that they may not have discovered online.
Educating consumers is the fashion industry’s next Web3 opportunity
Brands that have been launching NFTs are beginning to discover a roadblock - customers don’t understand how to use them. Because of this, designers like Rebecca Minkoff are offering educational sessions alongside NFT drops on the concept and how to set up a digital wallet after realizing there’s a learning curve for customers after her first drops. Several brands are addressing foundational questions on Discord servers (Prada and Gucci) or dedicating entire Twitter accounts to inform customers (Boohoo). Unlike crypto enthusiasts, many fashion customers aren’t familiar with Web3 technologies and guidance may be necessary, which is why brands have begun educating their existing customer base. In addition to educating, experts suggest simple strategies and high rewards to be more appealing to the average fashion consumer. Even those familiar with the technology have expressed the challenges of a multi-step process to participate in an NFT drop.
Mavion, a fashion and NFT marketplace, has led over 150 physical and virtual events to help onboard and educate people who are interested in Web3, similar to Apple’s Genius Bar—80% of attendees being women. Inviting customers to attend an event, joining the brand’s community on Discord or attending an educational session are straightforward actions to keep strategies simple and appeal to new consumers in the space. Claiming POAPs, a type of token that represents “proof of attendance” is another easy action point as they are free for consumers to claim (the brand pays a small fee for each) and is also a way for brands to trial their audience’s appetite for the technology. Another important element is explaining the overall point of the project to consumers. “Brands need to contextualize the metaverse experiences in the right way before the consumer enters the virtual world, so that they go in with the right expectations that this will be different from their typical e-commerce search-based experience,” Obsess CEO and founder Neha Singh says. Through consumer education, the ultimate goal is losing the terms “metaverse”, “Web3” or “NFT” entirely, as these technologies become commonplace.
WHAT I’M READING
Farfetch’s all-Web3 accelerator focuses on digital fashion, scale and “next-wave thinking”
AR technology is spurring a new formula for creative entertainment
A digital Carolina Herrera gown sold for $5,000 on Roblox
Nike debuts robot-powered system to extend life of sneakers
Five ways AR is redefining art