eBay, the popular online shopping site acquired a computer graphics company, PhiSix, which will enable it to offer virtual fitting rooms to its clothes shoppers.
The online shopping site announced Wednesday that it has acquired PhiSix, a computer graphics company, to offer virtual fitting rooms for online clothes shoppers. The e-commerce giant is offering the added advantage to its online shoppers to gain dominance in the highly competitive online retail business. eBay will use PhiSix technology to create 3D models of clothing and imitate the behavior of garments, of how they fit, look and move in different conditions.
The virtual fitting rooms will further help shoppers to match different combinations of apparels. The 3D models will not only help in getting a perfect fit but will also save the hassle of replacing mismatched garments.
"PhiSix's technology enables consumers to understand the fit and movement of clothes in an online shopping environment," Steve Yankovich, vice president of Innovation and New Ventures of eBay Inc., said in a company's blog post, Wednesday. "Consumers can experience the merchandise in a more efficient and impactful way, which we believe will drive sales for retailers and create a delightful experience for shoppers."
The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
PhiSix can create physically accurate simulations for better preview of garments using photos, pattern files and other sources. Using the basic body measurements, the system recommends a size. eBay has bigger plans for its acquired company, as it intends to integrate the technology across different products it offers on the site.
PhiSix is the brainchild of Jonathan Su, founder and CEO of the company and a former research scientist at Intel. Su and his three-person team will join eBay's Innovation and New Ventures group. Below is an embedded video demonstrating PhiSix technology.
