Tech giant Snap purchases fit-sizing company Fit Analytics
In a significant move to bolster its e-commerce offerings, Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, has announced the acquisition of Fit Analytics, a leading AI-driven fit and size recommendation company. This strategic move aims to enhance Snapchat's shopping experience by integrating personalized size and fit solutions directly into its platform.
With $428 billion worth of goods returned to retailers last year due to poor fit and size issues, the acquisition comes at a critical time, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when ensuring garments fit correctly is paramount for both shoppers and retailers.
Fit Analytics' technology allows Snapchat to offer smarter, data-driven product recommendations tailored to individual consumers, improving the accuracy and satisfaction of purchasing clothing and fashion items. This complements Snapchat's existing augmented reality (AR) shopping features, such as virtual try-ons via "Lenses," which let users see how products look on them through their smartphone cameras.
By combining personalized fit technology from Fit Analytics with AR experiences, Snapchat is positioning itself to deliver a highly immersive and customized shopping journey. This acquisition signifies Snapchat's push to deepen its role in e-commerce by improving product discovery, personalizing recommendations, and leveraging emerging technologies like AI and AR to drive higher engagement and conversions in shopping on its platform.
Founded as Upcload, Fit Analytics started as a webcam-based body modeling service but has evolved to become a fitting recommendation tech company. It boasts partnerships with several notable retailers and brands, including Calvin Klein, Puma, Asos, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, and Patagonia. The acquisition allows Fit Analytics to offer more to its current brand and retail partners, further solidifying Snapchat's position as a robust shopping platform.
In addition to its acquisition of Fit Analytics, Snapchat has also collaborated with American Eagle to create an AR Jeans Guide and integrated Perfect Corp.'s AR cosmetic testing technology into the app, providing digital storefronts for more than 200 beauty brands.
Though the price of the deal between Snap and Fit Analytics was not disclosed, the acquisition is part of Snapchat's broader strategy of innovation in advertising and commerce, contributing to sustained user growth and monetization efforts in 2025 and beyond. No specific details about the timeline or scope of the changes were provided in the announcement. However, it is clear that Fit Analytics will focus on scaling its operations and collaborating with Snap to grow Snapchat's shopping platform.
As more consumers are expected to return goods bought online during the 2020 holiday season, Snapchat's e-commerce strategy is evolving notably to address this challenge and offer a more seamless shopping experience for its users. With Fit Analytics on board, Snapchat is poised to become a more robust shopping platform, making online shopping a more enjoyable and less stressful experience for its users.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of ensuring accurate fitting garments in e-commerce, with $428 billion worth of goods returned last year due to poor fit and size issues.
- With the acquisition of Fit Analytics, Snapchat aims to offer smarter, data-driven product recommendations tailored to individual consumers, improving the accuracy and satisfaction of purchasing clothing and fashion items.
- Leveraging emerging technologies like AI and AR, Snapchat is positioning itself to deliver a highly immersive and customized shopping journey, complementing its existing AR shopping features such as virtual try-ons via "Lenses."
- The acquisition allows Fit Analytics to offer more to its current brand and retail partners, further solidifying Snapchat's position as a robust shopping platform with partnerships with notable retailers and brands like Calvin Klein and Puma.
- As more consumers are expected to return goods bought online during the 2020 holiday season, Snapchat's e-commerce strategy is evolving to address this challenge and offer a more seamless shopping experience, making online shopping a more enjoyable and less stressful experience for its users.
