Many consumers are just getting to grips with the existence of digital wallets and mobile payments thanks to the launch of services such as Apple, Android, and the upcoming Samsung Pay but now Visa Europe has thrown another e-commerce solution into the mix, and it involves using an augmented reality (AR) app.

In partnership with visual discover and AR app Blippar, Visa Europe and its innovation hub, Visa Europe Collab, unveiled the payment system at a recent House of Holland fashion show in London, as House of Holland is to be the pilot fashion brand for the project.

The idea behind the payment system is that it will allow consumers to purchase garments as soon as they spot them on models. How is that possible? Well, the product creators explained that “by intelligently integrating online and offline (in-store) shopping experiences, the advanced augmented reality technology not only recognises an item of interest but allows the user to complete a transaction right then and there.” To make a purchase users simply have to hold their mobile phone up at the item they’d like to buy and tap the screen. Once they do this the app will be able to identify the item and give the user the option to purchase it through a pre-registered prepaid debit or credit card.

It’s certainly an interesting idea, but we won’t be able to get our hands on the app just yet as it’s currently being tested in a proof-of-concept launch, in a live retail environment. Visa Europe and Blippar say that their plan is to make the technology available on a wider scale to more retailers later in the year.

Visa Europe Collab co-founder Hendrik Kleinsmiede was very excited by the launch of the app, saying that it showed “once again how it is possible to bring mainstream fashion and retail together with innovative payment solutions. We hope this virtual shift in traditional shopping behaviour is something you’ll see on the high street very soon.”

VRFocus will follow the progress of the AR payment app and report with developments as they happen.

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