QLO

YOUR PERSONAL SHOPPING ASSISSTANT

Meet Qlo, the AI-driven assistant that transforms your Uniqlo shopping experience. Ask about sizing, materials, or availability, and get real-time, context-aware answers. Need styling tips or product recommendations? Qlo delivers curated suggestions and instant inventory checks, guaranteeing a smooth, personalized journey from browsing to checkout.

Project Type
Conversational UI,
Experience Design

Team
Eldar Gilmanov, Summer Chao, Sanjali Jain, Deeya Parikh

Client
Spree AI

Year/Duration
Fall 2024, 6 weeks

Role
UX Researcher, UX Designer

Tools
Figma, Adobe AfterEffects

Skills
UX Research, Testing, Rapid Prototyping, Interaction Design

PROBLEM SPACE

Fashion E-Commerce

Today’s shoppers often feel overwhelmed by endless product choices, confused by inconsistent sizing, and frustrated by long fitting room waits. Simultaneously, typical online and in-store experiences fail to consider personal preferences or past purchases, leaving the shopping journey feeling detached and less tailored to individual needs.

RESEARCH

How Might We

How might the integration of SpreeAI technology create a more innovative and engaging omni-channel shopping experience for Uniqlo?

SOLUTION

Conversational Agent

To address these pain points and to enhance efficiency, satisfaction, and sales we designed an intelligent conversational solution capable of guiding customers seamlessly from product discovery to checkout.

Qlo, powered by Spree AI, was developed to provide real-time, context-aware assistance and recommendations, transforming the way customers shop.

RESEARCH & IDEATION

What is SpreeAI?

SpreeAI is a third-party, photorealistic garment try-on solution designed to integrate effortlessly with fashion e-commerce platforms and mobile apps, leveraging advanced machine learning to harness image data directly from brands.

RESEARCH & IDEATION

Brand Alignment

One of our aims was exemplify how Spree AI’s technology would work in an existing brand, and from our research decided to go ahead with Uniqlo. 

Our research process consisted of user research through online customer reviews of not only Uniqlo but also competitor brands such as H&M and Zara, and secondary research which it included literature review, news articles, and comparative analyses of the previously mentioned brands.

There lie strong alignment with the primary values of SpreeAI and Uniqlo such as their commitment to innovation and technology, and their continued commitment to enhancing customer experience. 

RESEARCH & IDEATION

Pain Points & Opportunities

We recognized several opportunities within Uniqlo’s environment where a SpreeAI-powered conversational user interface (CUI) could significantly enhance the overall shopping journey.

I. Pain Point

Uniqlo stores are massive, with an overwhelming number of choices.

Opportunity

SpreeAI’s can solve provide users with context aware solutions.

Design Implication

Personalized Recommendations

II. Pain Point

Inconsistent sizing amongst products, not just in between different brands and Uniqlo, but within Uniqlo itself as well.

Opportunity

Spree AI can provide quicker and more accurate sizing guidance.

Design Implication

Virtual try-on and Heat Mapping

III. Pain Point

Uniqlo stores have long lines to the fitting rooms and customers are permitted to take limited items. 

Opportunity

SpreeAI can provide an alternative to  fitting rooms.

Design Implication

AR lookbook and Virtual Try-on

RESEARCH & IDEATION

Customer Journey Mapping

Building on our research, we mapped the entire Uniqlo customer’s journey - across both online and in-store experiences - and identified strategic touchpoints where the CUI could seamlessly enhance the user experience.

SOLUTIONS & INTEGRATION

How might the integration of SpreeAI technology create a more innovative and engaging omni-channel shopping experience for Uniqlo?

I. Solution

Conversational User Interface, Qlo

Leveraging SpreeAI’s photorealistic try-on technology, we imagined a brand-specific CUI called Qlo for Uniqlo. Qlo is designed with a personable, friendly, and knowledgeable character, ensuring users feel guided and informed at every step. To maintain clarity and engagement, we designed for distinct visual states (idle, loading, speaking, listening, success, error, notification) that communicate Qlo’s status in real time. 

II. Solution

Context Aware Reccomendations

Qlo, as a context-aware conversational interface, empowers shoppers to navigate large product selections more confidently, delivering personalized recommendations and guided virtual try-ons for a smoother, more engaging experience.

III. Solution

Virtual Try-On & Heat Mapping

Virtual Try-On leverages AI size prediction and SpreeAI’s proprietary heat-mapping technology so shoppers can visualize how garments fit in real time, making the purchase journey more accurate and worry-free.

IIV. Solution

AR Smart-Mirror

The AR Smart-Mirror integrates with Qlo and leverages Uniqlo’s RFID sensor technology to automatically detect items placed on the mirror, using AI overlays for real-time try-ons, style suggestions, and a more immersive in-store experience.

TAKEAWAYS

Conversational User Interfaces for Fashion E-Commerce

A Paradigm Shift in Online Shopping:
Working on Qlo showed me how rapidly AI—especially when imbued with (limited) Agentic AI capabilities—can redefine eCommerce, transcending incremental improvements and transforming the entire user experience.

Effortless and Anticipatory Purchases:
Conversational agents takes convenience to the next level by proactively identifying user needs, managing weekly essentials, and providing real-time, data-driven suggestions for more significant buying decisions.

Immersive Technologies Reduce Guesswork:
Integrating VR and AR removes much of the uncertainty and frustration tied to online purchases. Virtual try-ons and interactive displays boost buyer confidence and reduce returns, signaling a move toward truly immersive retail.

Scalable Personalization for Tailored Choices:
AI-driven assistants like Qlo can curate vast product catalogs, ensuring customers only see options most relevant to their tastes or requirements—turning an overwhelming selection into a tailored experience.

Enhanced Efficiency for Functional Purchases:
Time-poor consumers benefit from AI tools that handle mundane or repeat purchases, freeing them up to focus on more meaningful or creative aspects of shopping. By streamlining functional tasks, Agentic AI increases both efficiency and user satisfaction.