Visual and Voice Search Redefining Fashion e-Commerce

Moiz Khan Aug 28, 2018

Fashion and technology are the two unique industries that reinvent themselves almost every season. This constant change is driven by customer preferences.

Fashion makes a statement worldwide and it remains to be the top category for online retail shopping. Quite a few top fashion brands have had a journey that started from the smartphone revolution. They were quick to notice and accommodate into the changing landscape of technology. More businesses in this industry are realizing the consumer shift.

We are almost at the brink of time when consumers would interact with digital assistants for mundane tasks and asking a chat bot to display the latest collection from a brand. The assistant would call out the name and price as it makes an appearance on the screen. That calls for the need to prepare for visual and voice search.

Evaluating the rise of voice activated digital assistants for e-commerce has revealed some of the bright prospects this technology presents.

“In 5 years time, at least 50% of all searches are going to be either through images or search”

Andrew NG, Baidu Chief Scientist

Is voice the future of search?

Will Hayllar, partner and global head of consumer goods at OC&C adds his 2 cents to the prospects of voice search.

“Voice technology taps into the move towards frictionless retailing and the need to make it easier and easier to purchase products, both in terms of the process and enabling customers to buy something exactly when they want it.”

Visual search complementarity

When visual search gained momentum, it changed the way people search and shop online. For mobile users, this was another opportunity for intuitive search. It minimizes the lengthy procedure of text-based search and creates a smoother customer journey by presenting what they are looking for. Besides a graphic eliminates the need for language and thus visual imagery serves as the universal language.