It looks like 3-D virtual try-on technology will soon make an appearance on eBay. The marketplace giant is announcing the acquisition of PhiSix, a company that develops 3-D visualization and simulation technologies for clothing. The computer graphics company creates 3D models of clothing from photos, pattern files and other sources and simulates the behavior of the garments.
eBay has acquired PhiSix, a 3-D virtual fitting room technology company in the Bay Area, to help consumers make more confident purchases online. The San Jose-based e-commerce giant did not disclose how much it paid, but said PhiSix founder, Jonathan Su, a former Intel research scientist and Stanford computer science PhD, will be joining eBay along with three other employees. While the acquisition sounds minor, the technology is tackling a big problem — making consumers confident enough to purchase clothing online and happy enough not to return it. To date, most e-commerce companies have solved this problem with less elegant — and costly — solutions, such as providing free returns.