Visa Europe speeds up shopping process via augmented reality

Launched by Visa Europe’s innovation hub Visa Europe Collab, the payments tool is being trialled with House of Holland at its London Collections Men event tonight, with a select number of attendees able to access the app by pointing their phones at live models. Visa plans to roll it out to other retailers later this year. 

In order for the tech to work, users need to hold their mobile at the item they are interested in and tap the screen; the app will recognise the product and offer the ability to buy it.

More retailers are testing augmented reality as a way of boosting engagement with customers. Last year Game introduced an augmented reality display in its Basingstoke store allowing shoppers to pose with characters from the Halo series.

Visa Europe Collab co-founder Hendrik Kleinsmiede said: “Augmented reality has the potential to be transformative for the retail industry. Imagine a future where you can point your phone at a friend’s new outfit with their permission, only for the app to recognise and source that outfit in your size, and give you the option of having it sent straight to your home.”

House of Holland founder Henry Holland said: “Being able to scan garments through Blippar and purchase them pretty much off their back is an amazing technological development and one I have dreamt of as a consumer and a fashion business owner.”