Gap Acquires 3D Virtual Fitting Room Startup Drapr
Gap Inc. has a new solution to reduce returns from e-commerce shopping.
The retailer has acquired Drapr, a startup that enables customers to create 3D avatars and virtually try on clothing to find the best size and fit for their body type, while helping retailers reduce unnecessary returns.
Online returns more than doubled in 2020 from 2019 and are a major driver of the overall growth of returns, according to NRF. Approximately $102 billion of merchandise purchased online was returned.
“Fit is the number one point of friction for customers and, through their advanced 3D technology, Drapr has shown it can help shoppers efficiently find the size and fit they need,” said,” said Sally Gilligan, chief growth transformation officer at Gap Inc. “We plan to leverage Drapr to help Gap Inc. improve the fit experience for our customers and accelerate our ongoing digital transformation.”
Part of the Y Combinator class of Summer 2020, Drapr was founded by David Pastewka, Will Drevno and Richard Berwick, who have collaborated on 3D technology for over a decade with early support from Boost VC and Berkeley SkyDeck.
“Most people either don’t know their exact measurements or are looking for a specific type of fit that numbers alone can’t tell them,” said Drapr co-founder and CEO, David Pastewka. “Drapr has proven effective and we are excited about the impact we can have on customers at scale as part of the Gap Inc. family.”
As part of a new initiative called “Bodequality,” Gap-owned Old Navy will offer every one of its women’s styles, in every size, with no price difference. Old Navy said it will be the first value retailer to offer sizes 0-30 and XS-4X for all women’s styles at price parity. As part of this effort, Old Navy administered body scans of 389 women to create digital avatars based on real women’s bodies, it said last week.
“With the launch of BODEQUALITY, we reinvented our fit process at Old Navy to give women greater confidence in their clothes, no matter the size,” said Nancy Green, president & CEO of Old Navy. “Drapr’s technology will help us continue to build on this expertise and deliver a more personalized and inclusive fit experience for all of our customers by showing them how an item will actually look on their body while also recommending the best fit for them based on their individual preferences.”
The deal was brokered by Gap Inc’s Strategic Growth Office, led by Gilligan, a unit of the company charged with thinking beyond its core business in order to meet the consumer and industry demands of the future. The Strategic Growth Office seeks out investments that fuel growth and accelerate new capabilities at Gap Inc. and across its portfolio of brands.
Through the company’s Athleta brand, the Strategic Growth Office participated in the latest funding round for obé fitness, a digital fitness platform with a focus on bringing entertainment, pop culture and design to fitness. The partnership between obé and Athleta will come to life through its new AthletaWell community platform and is designed to increase brand engagement, with both brands working together on apparel, content, events, and innovative shopping experiences.