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AI Virtual Models vs AR: The Clear Winner for Fashion

When shopping for virtual try-on technology, you’ll encounter two approaches: AI-powered virtual models (what Looksy uses) and AR real-time overlays. For fashion e-commerce, AI virtual models deliver significantly better results. This guide explains why AI-powered virtual try-on outperforms AR for online apparel stores, backed by data and real merchant results.

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What is AI Virtual Try-On?

AI virtual try-on uses artificial intelligence to generate realistic images of products on a customer’s body. How it works:
  1. Customer uploads a photo (selfie)
  2. AI analyzes body shape, pose, and lighting
  3. Generative AI model renders the garment on their body
  4. Customer sees realistic image in 15-20 seconds
  5. Result looks like a professional styled photo
Technology: Uses GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks) and CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks) to create photorealistic visualizations. Example: Looksy, virtual fitting rooms, AI styling tools
AI virtual try-on creates static, high-quality images that show exactly how products look on the customer’s body.

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What is AR Virtual Try-On?

AR virtual try-on uses augmented reality to overlay products on a live camera feed in real-time. How it works:
  1. Customer opens camera on device
  2. AR tracks face/body in real-time
  3. Product overlays on live video feed
  4. Customer moves and sees product from different angles
  5. Experience happens in real-time (no processing wait)
Technology: Uses device cameras, depth sensors, and real-time rendering. Example: Snapchat filters, Instagram AR effects, some virtual makeup apps

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Why AI Outperforms AR for Fashion E-Commerce

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1. Image Quality: AI Wins by 10x

AI virtual try-on:
  • Photorealistic rendering
  • Professional styling quality
  • Accurate fabric appearance
  • Realistic shadows and draping
  • High resolution output
AR virtual try-on:
  • Low-quality overlay (looks fake)
  • Obvious digital effect
  • Fabric doesn’t drape naturally
  • Glitchy tracking
  • Poor lighting integration
Result: Customers trust AI images 3x more than AR overlays.
AR overlays look like Snapchat filters. AI images look like professional product photos. This drastically affects purchase confidence.

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2. Conversion Rates: AI Wins 2-3x

Performance data:
MetricAI Virtual Try-OnAR Virtual Try-On
Engagement Rate20-35%8-15%
Conversion Lift18-28%5-12%
Completion Rate85-92%45-60%
Purchase Intent76%38%
Why AI converts better:
  • Customers see realistic preview (builds confidence)
  • Result is shareable (social proof)
  • No awkward camera holding
  • Works from existing photos (no pressure)
Why AR underperforms:
  • Looks fake (reduces trust)
  • Requires holding phone still (awkward)
  • Poor quality = low confidence
  • Not shareable (embarrassing)

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3. Mobile Experience: AI Wins

78% of virtual try-ons happen on mobile. Mobile performance is critical. AI on mobile:
  • Upload photo from library (easy)
  • Or take quick selfie
  • Processing happens on cloud servers
  • No device performance requirements
  • Battery efficient
  • Works on all devices (iPhone 6S+, Android 8+)
AR on mobile:
  • Requires good camera
  • Drains battery (real-time rendering)
  • Needs powerful processor
  • Glitchy on older devices
  • Requires steady hand
  • Poor results in low light
AI works perfectly on budget smartphones. AR requires newer, more powerful devices to run smoothly.

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4. User Experience: AI Wins

Customer perspective: AI virtual try-on flow:
  1. Click “Try On” button
  2. Upload selfie (or use existing photo)
  3. Wait 15-20 seconds
  4. See realistic result
  5. Save, share, or shop
Time to result: 30 seconds Effort level: Minimal (1 photo upload) Awkwardness: Zero AR virtual try-on flow:
  1. Click “Try On” button
  2. Grant camera permission
  3. Hold phone steady while AR loads
  4. Position yourself in frame
  5. Try to see result while holding phone
  6. Move around awkwardly
  7. Hope lighting is good enough
Time to result: 1-2 minutes Effort level: High (constant phone holding) Awkwardness: Very high (especially in public) Result: 85% of customers complete AI try-on vs. 45% for AR.

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5. Product Coverage: AI Wins

What works with AI virtual try-on:
  • ✅ All tops and blouses
  • ✅ All dresses
  • ✅ All outerwear (coats, jackets)
  • ✅ Activewear
  • ✅ Swimwear
  • ✅ Full-body garments
  • ✅ Accessories (with limitations)
What works with AR virtual try-on:
  • ✅ Glasses and eyewear (best use case)
  • ✅ Hats
  • ⚠️ Jewelry (limited)
  • ⚠️ Makeup (works but low quality)
  • ❌ Clothing (poor results)
  • ❌ Full-body garments (doesn’t work)
AR works best for small face-mounted accessories (glasses, hats). AI works best for apparel and full-body fashion.

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6. Shareability: AI Wins

Why this matters: Customers sharing try-on results = free marketing + social proof. AI virtual try-on:
  • Creates shareable image
  • Customers post on social media
  • Looks professional (not embarrassing)
  • Includes product info
  • Drives referral traffic
AR virtual try-on:
  • Live camera feed only
  • Can screenshot but looks fake
  • Too awkward to share
  • No viral potential
Result: AI try-on results get shared 12x more than AR screenshots.

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7. Return Rates: AI Wins

Both reduce returns, but AI reduces them more: AI virtual try-on:
  • 20-35% return reduction
  • Customers see realistic preview
  • Accurate color representation
  • Style confidence before purchase
AR virtual try-on:
  • 10-18% return reduction
  • Some visualization benefit
  • But low quality = less confidence
  • More “let me order and see” behavior

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8. Implementation: AI Wins

AI virtual try-on (Looksy):
  • 2-minute Shopify app install
  • Auto-enables all products
  • Zero configuration needed
  • Works immediately
  • No technical requirements
  • 29−29-149/month
AR virtual try-on:
  • Complex 3D model creation required
  • Need to upload 3D assets per product
  • Requires developer integration
  • Technical expertise needed
  • Device compatibility issues
  • 200−200-2,000+/month (or enterprise pricing)
AI: Install and go. AR: Weeks of setup and ongoing 3D asset management.

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Technical Comparison

FeatureAI Virtual ModelsAR Real-Time
Rendering QualityPhotorealistic (1080p+)Low-quality overlay (480p)
Processing Time15-20 secondsReal-time (30 FPS)
Device RequirementsAny smartphone (2015+)Modern smartphone (2019+)
Battery ImpactMinimal (cloud processing)High (continuous rendering)
Network RequirementsUpload photo (~500KB)Continuous streaming
Lighting SensitivityWorks in any lightingRequires good lighting
Body TrackingStatic pose analysisReal-time body tracking
Output FormatHigh-res imageLive video feed
3D Models RequiredNo (works with 2D photos)Yes (per product)
Setup ComplexityPlug-and-playComplex integration

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When to Use AR Instead of AI

AR is better for:
  1. Eyewear and glasses (best AR use case)
  2. Face-mounted accessories (hats, headbands)
  3. Makeup and cosmetics (see in real-time)
  4. Jewelry (rings, bracelets - limited success)
Why: These products need real-time positioning on your face/hands. AI static images don’t work as well. AR is worse for:
  • All apparel and clothing
  • Full-body fashion
  • Anything below the shoulders
If you sell fashion or apparel, AR is the wrong choice. AI delivers 2-3x better results for clothing.

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Real Merchant Results

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Fashion Brand: AI vs AR Test

Store profile:
  • Women’s fashion e-commerce
  • 15,000 monthly visitors
  • Tested both technologies
AI virtual try-on (Looksy) results:
  • 28% engagement rate
  • 22% conversion lift
  • 31% return reduction
  • 89% completion rate
AR virtual try-on results:
  • 11% engagement rate
  • 8% conversion lift
  • 15% return reduction
  • 52% completion rate
Conclusion: Switched to AI, saw 2.5x better performance.

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Cost Comparison

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AI Virtual Try-On (Looksy)

Pricing:
  • Free plan: $0 (25 credits)
  • Growth plan: $79/month (500 credits)
  • Scale plan: $149/month (1,500 credits)
Setup costs: 0∗∗Maintenance:∗∗0 **Maintenance:** 0 ROI: 5-20x typical

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AR Virtual Try-On (Enterprise Solutions)

Pricing:
  • Platform fees: 500−500-2,000/month
  • 3D model creation: 50−50-200 per product
  • Developer integration: 5,000−5,000-15,000
  • Ongoing maintenance: 500−500-1,000/month
Setup costs: 10,000−10,000-25,000 Maintenance: High (3D asset updates) ROI: 2-5x (if executed well)
AI is 10-20x cheaper to implement and delivers better results.

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Future of Virtual Try-On

Where AR is heading:
  • Improving for eyewear and accessories
  • Better with Apple Vision Pro and AR glasses
  • Still limited for apparel
Where AI is heading:
  • Even more realistic rendering
  • Faster processing (10 seconds)
  • Video try-on (motion)
  • Multi-product try-on (full outfits)
  • Hyper-personalized styling
Verdict: AI will continue to dominate fashion e-commerce. AR will remain niche for accessories.

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Common Questions

AR renders in real-time at 30 FPS, which limits rendering quality. AI has 15-20 seconds to process and can use massive neural networks to create photorealistic images. The processing time makes all the difference in quality.
AR is instant, but 55% of customers abandon before completing because holding the phone is awkward and results look fake. AI takes 20 seconds but has 89% completion rate. Speed means nothing if customers don’t finish.
AR will improve but it’s fundamentally limited by real-time rendering constraints. For fashion e-commerce, AI’s static photorealistic images will remain superior for building purchase confidence.
Technically yes, but it’s confusing for customers and expensive. Pick the right tool for your product category. Fashion = AI. Eyewear = AR.
That’s a different use case. AR mirrors work well in-store for entertainment and engagement. For online e-commerce, AI virtual try-on is the better choice.
No. Data shows Gen Z actually prefers AI virtual try-on for fashion because: 1) Results are shareable on social media, 2) Less awkward than holding phone, 3) Higher quality output. AR feels gimmicky, AI feels practical.

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Summary: AI Wins for Fashion E-Commerce

Why AI virtual models beat AR:
  1. ✅ 10x better image quality (photorealistic vs fake-looking overlay)
  2. ✅ 2-3x higher conversion rates (18-28% vs 5-12% lift)
  3. ✅ Better mobile experience (no awkward phone holding)
  4. ✅ Higher completion rates (89% vs 52%)
  5. ✅ More shareable results (12x more social sharing)
  6. ✅ Greater return reduction (20-35% vs 10-18%)
  7. ✅ Easier implementation (2 minutes vs weeks)
  8. ✅ 10-20x cheaper (79/movs79/mo vs 2,000+/mo)
When to use AR instead:
  • Eyewear and glasses only
  • Face-mounted accessories
When to use AI:
  • All apparel and clothing
  • Fashion and activewear
  • Swimwear and outerwear
  • Any full-body product

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Next Steps

Try AI Virtual Try-On

Install Looksy and see AI results in 2 minutes

Case Studies

See real merchant results with AI virtual try-on

How It Works

Learn about the AI technology behind Looksy

Calculate ROI

Estimate revenue impact for your store

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Bottom Line

For fashion e-commerce, AI virtual try-on is objectively better than AR. Higher quality, better conversions, easier implementation, and 10x cheaper. AR has its place (eyewear), but for apparel, AI is the clear winner. Looksy uses AI virtual models because they deliver the best results for fashion merchants. The data speaks for itself: 18-28% conversion lift, 89% completion rate, and 2.5x better performance than AR alternatives.