ASOS Style Match visual recognition tool gets worldwide rollout

Fashion eCommerce giant ASOS is rolling out its new Style Match visual search tool globally to iOS and Android users, enabling customers to upload images or photos of items of clothing and search for similar items.

The tool was first introduced to ASOS iOS app in the UK last summer, and currently searches over 85,000 products available through the retailer, with 5,000 new items added weekly. Cutsomers can use any image from their phone camera roll, including pictures they have taken out and about, images from magazines and even screenshots from social media.

ASOS was founded in 2000, and has become a prime example of a mobile-led retailer, with 80 per cent of UK traffic and 70 per cent of orders now arriving via a mobile device. Customers average 80 minutes per month browsing its iOS app, which is one of the highest-rated shopping apps in the App Store.

“We know this is where our customers are and its how they interact with us every day, so were always looking for mobile-native ways to make their experience even better,” said Andy Berks, ASOS digital product director. “Ever since ASOS was founded, weve been driven to delight our customers and improve their lives in little ways by using innovation. But our technology has always been in their service, and never just for its own sake.”

ASOS isnt the only retailer to produce a visual search tool, however. eBay has an Image Search function, and Pinterest, while not a direct retailer, also has its Lens tool that enables users to find similar items on its platform, which can often then be purchased through its Buyable Pin ad unit.