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eBay uses ARCore to help better package products you sell

Augmented reality has been used in a lot of unique ways, and now eBay is jumping on board with a brand new feature. Using Google’s ARCore on Android, the company is making it easier for users to better package the items they sell.

If you’ve ever sold something on eBay before, the first thought you had after selling an item is probably something along the lines of “OK, how am I going to ship this?” Now, with ARCore, eBay is using augmented reality to show users the relative size of the box they’ll need to ship an item in.

To use this, simply point your phone at the item you’re selling, and a virtual box will go around it showing the size you need. The boxes are based on sizes offered by the USPS, which is convenient as you’ll be able to quickly get the exact box you need without testing several to find the best fit.

In the new Android feature, users select a box size, place the virtual box over their sold item, move the box around the item to see a complete view of the product inside the box. This allows sellers to virtually see if an item fits inside any USPS Flat Rate shipping box before they choose the physical box or try to package the item.

Interestingly, eBay is launching this feature exclusively on Android at first, but it does plan to bring the same functionality to iOS “soon,” obviously using Apple’s ARKit to do so.

Obviously, this isn’t something people will use on a daily basis, but it’ll undoubtedly be handy when it is needed. The update is already live on ARCore compatible Android smartphones.


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