Most customers want to “try clothes on” before buying, because the last thing they want is to have to return their purchases. This is more of an issue online than offline, because online you can completely miscalculate the way a garment will look on you. Virtual closets give users the flexibility of virtually trying on clothing. The user enters data such as her body type, measurements, weight, and height, and special software provides her with a virtual reflection of her body. Once she chooses an article of clothing she’s interested in, the tool mimics how the article would look on her based on the body description she provided, allowing her to gauge whether the piece works for her. Of course, the technology isn’t quite there yet, but if it becomes successful, it could address the needs of the many shoppers who refuse to purchase clothes online because they fear the clothing will not look right or fit properly.

Whether you’re shopping online or offline, you want someone to be available if you need help. This is why many online companies are providing virtual help (see Figure 8-14) to answer users’ questions, and thus get them engaged and motivated to move forward in the buying funnel. However, virtual help is an engagement tool that must be measured. The extent to which the virtual help pop ups are intrusive, actually provide help to users, and even whether they are placed effectively, all play a role in how successful this engagement tool will be. Who wants a nagging salesperson continually pestering you to see if you need help? Remember, providing a little help for the user, and letting him know you are only a click away, goes a long way.

The use of virtual help as a way to engage visitors
Figure 8-14. The use of virtual help as a way to engage visitors

Ultimately, virtual help is only one type of engagement tool, and it is only as successful as the strategy and measurement that defines it. Indeed, engagement manifests itself in many different ways on a website. Once a company can successfully track each aspect of its users’ engagement with its site, it will be able to modify and measure the impact of the engagement tools it uses.