Augmented Reality is transforming the online shopping experience to a great deal. With the introduction of AI, things are getting simpler in different sectors.
Therefore, Augmented Reality in retail will take care of modern preferences. The convenience is greater. Customers will not have to put much effort into buying their favorite products.
AR is undoubtedly highly powerful in giving the retail industry a new shape. You can witness the steady growth of the e-commerce industry.
Therefore, the popularity of AR is also rising. In one of the studies of Swag Soft, it was seen that more than 63% of online buyers have confidence in the success of Augmented Reality.
Moreover, on the other hand, adopting VR into e-commerce resulted in a higher conversion rate. It was almost 17% and indicated a good growth for the overall industry.
By 2025, the expected growth rate is around $162.71 million. Therefore, embracing this new technology will undoubtedly enhance the online shopping experience. (Source: Swag Soft report)
Check what more AR offers to satisfy you. This content will give a brief overview.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented Reality is a modern concept, setting up an interface between computer-generated information and the end users. Therefore, it can incorporate the features of digital representations in different real-world scenarios.
The effects of special-purpose software, web content, special effects, virtual apps, and other hardware will ensure a better experience.
Similarly, Augmented Reality in retail will improve shopping performance through impressive 3D effects. For example, if you are going to purchase a sofa, you may have a virtual experience of how your room will look after getting the sofa.
Indeed, this gives the customers more confidence while making a purchase. They can visualize the scene with the newly bought products.
How does Augmented Reality transform the shopping experience for consumers?
Augmented Reality in Retail can result in an amazing shopping experience. Retailers can enhance the customer base by applying AR theories in their physical stores.
Hence, they can impress the buyers by innovatively presenting their products. It is one of the fabulous ways to stay competitive in this market. With the help of Augmented Reality, a person can get a clearer vision of the things that they buy.
Usually, AR is a superior factor in the furniture industry where the buyers can get a virtual tour of the room with the selected furniture.
Therefore, such an opportunity attracts you more whenever you are willing to decorate your home or office. It shows how AR can turn a buying experience into an enjoyable moment by integrating every aspect
seamlessly.
This is more evident from the published report of Statista Research Development. It is mentioned that 12% of US online furniture buyers were satisfied by the application of AR in their shopping experience. So, not only in the UK, AR is taking a lead in the furniture industry from a global perspective.
Most online shopping apps today adopt AR technology to give a detailed view of the products to the customers. Therefore, the prospective customers will witness how a specific piece will look when combined with other items in the same environment.
You may also view a product from various angles and be sure about the quality and length. AR’s projected view will undoubtedly help in selecting an outfit from online stores.
The success of AR is quite evident these days through various popular E-commerce sites Amazon, Walmart, etc. Be it furniture, or a garment, the virtual experience will let you select the product more confidently.
As per an NY Times report, a person stated that Amazon is planning to sell home appliances and furniture in an AR environment. It wants the consumers to get a prominent view of the goods in multiple setups.
IKEA also launched a similar AR-based app to provide a visual of the superimposed furniture. (source: Digitaltrends)
Not only furniture but also in the case of several other products, the customers can have an interactive session.
If a person can feel the product and how it will satisfy their needs, it becomes more fascinating. The overall experience is going to be immersive if the retailers adopt AR technology.
The combination of digital involvement along physical touch is the primary agenda for embracing Augmented Reality. Trends say that soon AR will be implemented in the majority of the retail stores.
It is going to bring a revolution in the E-commerce industry, ensuring a better digital presence for businesses.
What are the future trends and innovations in Augmented Reality for retail?
The future of every business is brighter after the introduction of Augmented Reality in Retail. The virtual experience of observing the products is the primary driving factor for this advanced technology.
Moreover, it leads to improvement in customer satisfaction on a large scale. Several industry giants like Target, Amazon, etc. now classically present their products for instant attention.
Augmented Reality ensures that the customer can visualise what the tool will really be like after adding the selected item.
Buyers can also take advantage of customising their outfits by switching to AR. This is called Virtual Fitting Room Technology.
Online shopping sites can now have improved techniques to take body measurements. Therefore, you can be more sure about the fittings of the clothes to look fabulous.
The trends and innovations popularising AR in the retail market are as follows:-
Healthcare
Healthcare is showing rapid developments with the incorporation of Augmented Reality. It is the emergency sector and connected with human lives. It is indeed appreciative to observe how healthcare professionals are taking care of their patients with expertise.
Furthermore, the medical students can also have a demo practice and be sure about his/her skills before handling a real patient. The AR helps in quick processing of scans, and other vital tests. Hence, AR can provide immersive solutions for both treatment and education.
Glasses
For years, researchers were skeptical about the usage of AR in Glasses. However, you can observe it in reality. It is a magical experience where you can get immediate instructions without having any additional devices.
For example, you can interact with various digital objects, get the navigation of an unknown road, or check the nearest restaurant from the web. All of this is possible without touching your phone. It will show you everything only through your AR-imbedded glasses.
In the future, this is going to be a common phenomenon when you can access different things, even while walking on the road.
Metaverse
In view of the modern-day education system, we can say that AR in Metaverse is going to be the hottest topic for future generations. This technology can transform the overall online experiences making your lives so full of excitement.
Be it a virtual conference, online games, or social interactions, Metaverse will allow an amalgamation of virtual elements with the physical world.
The digital schools and playhouses are presenting attractive courses for kids of tomorrow. They seem to be informative and interesting at the same time, ensuring more concentration from the children in different topics.
The parents are also very happy after understanding the exclusive features of such schools operating on the technology of AR in Metaverse.
Retail and Shopping
As the instances of online shopping are increasing with every passing day, AR has a significant role to play here. Only your laptop or smartphone can give a detailed view of the products you like to view.
Therefore, it is easier to purchase your clothes, gadgets, appliances, furniture, or book a hotel room. The shopping experience will be highly improvised when you can take a look of the end result and how it looks after purchasing a product. Interestingly, the visuals will be visible before the actual purchase.
Therefore, Augmented Reality in retail will provide comprehensive solutions, covering almost every industry. Forget the limitations, ane expect a boom in digital stores as you become accustomed to the environment of AR.
How does AR increase sales in retail?
Augmented Reality in Retail can help in active interaction with the prospects. As a result, the seller can get a better idea of the tastes and preferences of the targeted audience. It gives insights into customer preferences, recent trends, purchasing patterns, and consumer behaviour.
Therefore, AR provides support to analyse the customers keenly and provide the most suitable services. If you can know your customers well, the results will be fruitful. In return, your sales will increase at a great pace, undoubtedly.
Harvard Business Review recently published a report stating the effects of AR in online settings. The review shows that Augmented Reality is having a massive impact on sales, customer behaviour, and customer engagement.
One of the cosmetic retailers (partnered with Harvard Business Review) aimed at giving customers a virtual experience of trying the make-up products. It was through their mobile app.
The brick-and-mortar stores under them also gave similar convenience to the shoppers by enabling AR in test sampling. (Source: Journal of Marketing)
What are the benefits of Augmented Reality in retail?
You can derive the following advantages from Augmented Reality in Retail.
- Increased Customer Engagement: The customers are more engaged with the shopping site when they get a visual view of the articles chosen. The creative results compel them to make an informed decision. As per the researchers, more than 61% of buyers prefer sites with AR.
- Better Experience: The overall customer experience is always top-notch when you add AR to your retailing business. It unlocks the real preferences of the consumers and give the retailers new space to showcase creativity. Moreover, the prospective buyers will have access to all the related information. Therefore, the purchasing decisions will not be a sudden affair.
- Lower Returns of Items: As per the observation of Mintel, AR has resulted into reduction in the rate of returns of items already purchased. Moreover, they specified that around 49% of the UK buyers returned their online purchases in the last year. Most times, the buyers return items due to faulty dispatches, and other damages. However, with AR, the chances of such errors are pretty low. (Report of Mintel)
What challenges does Augmented reality face in retail adoption?
The biggest challenges that Augmented Reality faces in retail adoption can be enlisted as follows:-
- High costs of implementing the technology
- Proper integration with the existing system
- Complex technicalities requiring only a skilled operator
- Concerns for maintaining viewers’ security
- Interruptions in network connectivity
- Limitations in developing adequate content
- User adoption problems with not-so-tech-savvy people
How can retailers implement augmented reality in their stores?
Retailers can implement Augmented Reality in their retail stores in various ways. They aim to give an impressive and interactive experience to the consumers.
Therefore, installing in-store displays is one of the methods to embrace AR. Furthermore, instead of the traditional trial rooms, the customers can now try outfits in the virtual fitting room. So, it is actually a mirror-like view that gives more satisfaction and surely.
Some of the other popular methods include:-
- Matching the colors in the shopping apps
- AR-enabled try ons
- Brand engagement
- Outfit visualisation
- Shopping large products at one time and checking out it fits
- In-store activities for customers to left a box set, etc.
Is Augmented Reality limited to specific retail sectors, or can it be applied across various industries?
No, there is no such limitation that only retailers can utilise Augmented Reality for selling different products. It is a well-known concept these days, applicable to multiple industries. This transformative technology provides innovative solutions in various aspects. The sectors that are already accepting AR in their initiatives include:-
- Automobile
- Repair and Maintenance
- Education
- Medical Training
- Tourism
- Designing
- Modeling
- Business Logistics
- Field Service
- Architecture
- Painting and interior decoration
Conclusion
Want to get a better view of your chosen products? Make perfect decisions, without any uncertainty. Augmented Reality in Retail can change your whole shopping experience into a brilliant memory. Be it any garment, jewelry, furniture, or toy; you have the perfect vision for each one of them.
The virtual scenes can give you happiness ensuring that the concerned product will fulfill your requirements. Therefore, you can take less time in shopping while the retailer shows the AR-based results. Go digital today to shop your favorite item at any time.
