Snap has announced that it is testing digital goods that can be purchased with Snap Tokens. The experiment, according to Snap, is with a handful of AR creators and developers. As part of the experiment, users will be able to unlock power-ups, AR items, and extra tools within select Lenses.
In an interview, Snap’s head of global AR community efforts explained to TechCrunch that the company hand-picked 10 AR creators and developers for the pilot test. Snap is focusing on three use cases for AR in this initial toll out. Snap also looked for three to five developers for each category and then narrowed it down to a select few.
“With digital goods, users are able to upgrade Lenses and add all sorts of different capabilities to it,” Dominguez told TechCrunch. “We’re exploring these digital goods as new ways for creators and developers to build businesses beyond creating Lenses for brands and clients. This is the very beginning and we’re excited to see how Snapchatters engage with it.”
Snap’s latest Lenses will launch in Australia and New Zealand in the next couple of weeks and will appear in the Lens Carousel and Lens Explorer. Snap plans to expand the test to more countries in the future.
Snap and Amazon recently announced a new partnership that will allow millions of Snapchat users to experience Virtual Try-On [VTO] experiences. This represents an expansion of Snap’s existing Augmented Reality [AR] for both brands and customers.
The new try-on Lenses features thousands of Amazon Fashion’s popular Virtual Try-On Eyewear products, which will enable Amazon brands to leverage on their Amazon AR assets. With this, they will be able to showcase style in a more interactive and fun way to millions of Snapchat users.
“Customers will be able to explore, shop and digitally try-on thousands of eyewear styles directly on Snapchat and then seamlessly purchase in the Amazon Fashion store,” a statement on the company’s website stated.
According to Snap, more customers are not being attracted to mobile shopping. In 2021, Amazon Fashion customers ordered more than one billion fashion items using their mobile devices.
Some of the popular Amazon eyewear brands that will be made accessible to users as a result of the new partnership include Maui Jim, Persol, Oakley, and Costa Del Mar, among others.
