The power of augmented reality came to the limelight with the craze of Pokemon Go. Years have passed since the advent of the game and now AR is shedding off its identity as an entertainment technology and empowering businesses. One of the rich segments to reap the benefits of augmented reality is ecommerce.
Other than keeping the users hooked for a long time, this technology offers a useful and interactive user experience by blurring the lines between the virtual and physical worlds. Ecommerce website design company professionals vouch by the immersive ability of AR that can showcase real-time info on the digital space.
AR in Ecommerce – Shaping the Future
With the pandemic around, people are gradually getting habituated with the new-normal lifestyle. Conscious people shy away from putting on clothes in the trial rooms or even visiting shops manually to buy accessories or shoes.
On the other hand, many feel uncomfortable to buy products randomly from an e-store without thoroughly observing or trying it. Ecommerce can leverage augmented reality at this hour to sustain and boost business without affecting user experience.
Here are a few ways that AR can take ecommerce to the next level:
- Product Visualization
A striking study by ShipBob reveals that around 40% of online purchases are returned by the customers. Wrong product dispatch, inaccurate sizes, quality issues – there’s an abundance of reasons for people to return their online purchases.
This is extremely unprofitable for businesses due to all the associated costs of logistics as well as replacements.
Augmented reality can put an end to all these hassles. Potential customers can thoroughly review the products just as they would do in a real-time store before placing the order. This will help the customers to take the right decision and reduce the striking number of returned purchases.
For instance, IKEA leverages this smart technology to give the customers a preview of the furniture placed in their actual homes. All they need is to upload an image of the place where they want to place the furniture. The site will render a 3D image of the furniture on the space. The users can then reposition the image on the screen until they find out an ideal spot for the piece. They can also change the shade or design of the furniture if required.
You see, how augmented reality can help people make well-informed choices.
- Virtual Trials
We know nothing can replace the convenience and assurance of a trial room when it comes to buying your favourite dress. This is one of the reasons the many people shy away from buying outfits online.
AR is here to ensure that you won’t have to compromise your convenience even at the online stores. Ecommerce stores are exploring various avenues to provide the best experience to the potential customers. For instance, you may upload an image, choose a dress (your preferable colour and size) and check out how you would look in that attire. Zovi – an online retail store has already implemented this.
Not only clothing sites, but lens shop like Lenskart and makeup stores like Nykaa and Sephora also feature similar facilities. You can check how you would look in a particular frame or in a shade of lipstick.
CoverGirl has also applied the technology and enabled the shoppers to apply beauty products on the image of their face. That way, the brand enables the consumers to try multiple makeup combinations without affecting their skin and time.
Take Away
Augmented reality brings more comfort and convenience to the users while reducing the hassles of manually visiting the store. They can get real-time, physical and immersive experience on the mobile screen right at their home. On the other hand, ecommerce stores can significantly earn more profits by reducing the number of returned purchases. So, it’s a win-win situation for both.
Custom web design services have made it possible for ecommerce store owners to implement this high-end technology on their store. As you can understand, it’s high time to leverage this trendy technology and rush ahead of the competition. What’s your take on this? Feel free to share in the comment box below.
