Dive Brief:
- Amazon has acquired Shoefitr, a startup that matches shoes to shoppers' feet using 3D technology and a database of shoe models. According to TechCrunch, details of the agreement are unclear.
- Shofitr claims to decrease returns of shoe purchases by as much as 20% when its technology is used to match buyers to shoes.
- Shoefitr is expected to move from its current location in Pittsburgh to Amazon’s Seattle headquarters.
Dive Insight:
Amazon’s purchase of the Pittsburgh startup Shoefitr may make great strides toward a better experience for online shoe buyers. And Shoefitr technology could help the e-commerce giant cut returns of shoe purchases at its main site and its Zappos subsidiary by as much as 20%; the returns rate at Zappos has averaged as high as 35% in the past.
Asking customers to enter their size and a current model in use, Shoefitr matches style and 3D fit data to suggest shoes that offer a similar fit, eliminating some of the issues buyers have with buying items they can’t try on in person. While Amazon’s plans are unclear, current Shoefitr clients such as Nordstrom, Cole Haan, and REI may be left out of the arrangement.
