Is Augmented Reality Technology Useful for E-commerce?

One of the biggest issues when shopping online is that lack of tangibility — shopping online doesn’t give us the luxury of holding the item in our hands to inspect it. It is difficult for us to reach a purchase decision when we do not have an idea as to how a product looks like, feels like, sounds like, smell like, or tastes like.

This is one of the reasons why a lot of people still prefer to shop in malls and other retail outlets. This is especially true for products that require you to see them first before buying like clothes and furniture. It is undeniable that visualization is a crucial part of a consumer’s decision-making process. Providing product dimensions and specifications help a bit, but still leave a lot to the imagination of potential customers, giving them second thoughts in buying.

To help provide visualization to online shoppers, leaders in the e-commerce industry have tapped augmented reality (AR). With augmented reality, shoppers would be able to see how clothes look like on them, or how furniture can fit into their homes before they buy it.

Studies show that e-commerce businesses who do equip themselves with AR functionality see a dramatic increase in sales and a noticeable drop in cart abandonment. This makes a lot of sense, since the biggest deterrent to online shopping has been addressed, and there isn’t a lot of difference now seeing a product in person.

AR and Mobile Shopping

Studies show that cart abandonment is highest for online shoppers using mobile devices. This is because usually, the intent for mobile users is to just browse galleries. Also, it is harder to enter information on handheld devices as compared to computers like desktops or laptops.

With the latter being addressed by a secured information storage and better checkout procedures, it boils down to convincing mobile users to complete their online shopping. AR technology is more present in mobile devices, and helps provide a way to merge products to the real world, thus giving them more reasons to buy.

5 Game-Changing Augmented Reality Tools for E-commerce

There are a handful tools that are revolutionizing online shopping, each of them have different features, unique styles, but all truly making a more interactive, and more promising online shopping experience for e-customers.

Here are 5 Augmented Reality solutions that changed e-commerce as we know it:

1. LAYAR

Layar is a global leader to augmented reality. It was established in 2009 and since then helped a lot of brands worldwide to enhance their marketing strategies through augmented reality. It features an open development platform, and is easy-to-use with a drag-and-drop functionality, making it a breeze to come up with engaging content.

Layar is known to have helped Nissan get 65% more test drives through its massive interactive print campaign.

2.BLIPPAR

Blippar makes use of augmented reality, computer vision, and artificial intelligence to give users more than what the ordinary world can offer to see. Blippar makes out-of-home marketing more exciting with digital content.

Blippar has helped Heineken in its “Legendary 7” campaign which is a tribute to the seven farmers that produce the barley and hops for Heineken. Customers would scan the label of a Heineken bottle and they would then have access to Heineken’s sustainability report, a story of each of the 7 farmers, and the “Legendary 7elfie”.

3.AUGMENT

Augment, established in 2011, is an enterprise AR platform offering solutions on design, marketing, and sales. Augment can help display life-like, 3D augment reality to display products to “bring a physical presence to online shopping”.

4.TOTAL IMMERSION

Total Immersion was known as D’Fusion. Its first AR image was produced back in 2004, making it a proponent to Augmented Reality. It is known to help provide eBay in 2011 with a “See It On” feature enabling users to see how fashion products look like on them.

5.MARXENT

Marxent is a well-known player in virtual and augmented reality. It provides solutions for product visualizations that help in sales and marketing. Marxent has worked with Toys“R”Us in its 2015 holiday catalog, which transformed the toy shop’s yearly book into a magical experience for kids.

So, is Augmented Reality really an effective tool in e-commerce?

In a world where innovation is the only thing that will keep a business adaptable to the ever-evolving needs of the society, augmented reality comes as an answer to address the intangibility issue that the e-commerce industry has always faced. AR helps turn imagination into a reality, and ultimately help customers reach a purchase decision.

If used properly, AR will truly revolutionize e-commerce, and it will not only make online shopping more interactive but a truly better way to shop. There would be no need to escape the comforts of your home, brave the hassle of the outside, all without the yesteryears’ fears of not knowing how your products will look like on you or on your home.

So yes, augmented reality really is an effective tool in e-commerce.

Author Bio:

Erine is a geek at heart who is enthusiastic about technology and how it affects people’s lives. She’s focused on different marketing technologies and helps manage the marketing strategy and vision of one of the Best SEO Services Canada.