Eyeglasses startup DITTO Inc. has closed a $3M first funding round led by August Capital to bring augmented-reality shopping to the masses.
DITTO’s augmented-reality software, built in-house, uses easy-to-capture webcam footage of a customers face to create a virtual copy of the customer or a “DITTO,” which the customer can then use to try on different styles of glasses.
“The user simply clicks on various models of glasses, and then sees them appear on the video of her own face that her computer has captured,” said August Partner Howard Hartenbaum to VentureWire. Hartenbaum went on to say, “This is not a still image. This is a video where you’re moving your head from side to side, and you can see what that looks like with the different glasses on.”
DITTO seems to be one-upping successful eyeglass startup Warby Parker’s renowned customer experience. Just like Warby Parker, DITTO picks up the tab for lenses, and offers free shipping and return shipping, but allows for 90-returns to Warby Parker’s 30. While currently in private beta, the company is gearing up for a public launch.
