Virtual “try-before-you-buy” experiences ranging from previewing furniture and products in your house with brands like IKEA and Home Depot, to digitally trying on luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci have been on the increase. Augmented Reality has fast evolved from a nice-to-have feature to a necessary tool for ecommerce businesses.
In addition, the Covid-19 epidemic has sped up the transition to digital commerce by about five years. Consumers ranked Augmented and Virtual Reality as the top technologies they want to help them in their daily lives, according to a 2019 Neilsen global study. In fact, slightly over half of those polled (51%) said they would be willing to utilize this technology to evaluate products.
“As AR evolves, it will revolutionize our lives and will become as significant of a technology shift as the web or mobile was to society, changing how we view and interact with the world around us.”
Allan Cook
Digital Reality Business Leader
Deloitte Digital
Deloitte evaluated the responses of 15,000 domestic and international consumers in the United States, showing that augmented reality has the power to impact a company’s bottom line, not just by fostering customer relationships. but also to significantly promote conversion. Augmented reality has become pragmatic: no longer seen as a toy (for trying on hairstyles or sending playful videos to friends), but now as a meaningful interactive tool for brands, where consumers can virtually try products like furniture in their home. The growth in the use of augmented reality shows how virtual commerce is becoming more accessible, ultimately changing the shopping experience for consumers.
Key takeaways
- AR adoption is tracking with the mobile usage boom – by 2025, over 60% of people who use social / communication apps will be frequent AR users.
- People expect and desire to use AR as a practical “tool” in their everyday lives.
- Interacting with products that have AR experiences leads to a 94% higher conversion rate.
Redefine your retail experience
Customers’ expectations are always changing. In the last few years we have seen that more than ever it is important for ecommerce businesses to implement 3D viewers and Augmented Reality. Customers are starting to expect 3D and AR experiences in their purchasing journey.
If you are interested to see how Rendered can help you integrate Augmented Reality experiences, please contact us.
