How Augmented Reality is Revolutionizing the Shopping Experience
The world of shopping is undergoing a major transformation, due to the combination of augmented reality (AR) technology. From makeup and clothing to cars and shoes, AR is changing the way in which we shop and interact with products.
The Impact of AR on Shopping
AR has been shown to have a major impact on shopping behavior. For example, L’Oréal’s AR makeup experiences have doubled website engagement time and tripled conversion. Similarly, Sephora’s Virtual Artist app has seen 200 million shades tried on during over 8.5 million visits, with customers continuing to make use of the feature repeatedly. This suggests that AR could make shopping more fun and efficient for purchasers.
Industry Applications of AR
AR is getting used in various industries to boost the shopping experience.
Automotive
Car dealerships often struggle to display their full range of products and configurations. AR sales experiences may help fill this gap, allowing customers to configure and interact with vehicles in a more immersive way. For instance, Audi City and Toyota’s AR experience enable customers to explore and customize vehicles, constructing deeper product knowledge and confidence of their purchase decision.
Shoes
Shoe firms are using AR capabilities for personalization and virtual try-on. With the upper level of product standardization in shoes, try-on and personalization are inclined to be simpler technical challenges. Wannaby, a virtual shoe try-on app, is working to enhance the tracking and realism of virtual try-on experiences. Other app developers are experimenting with accurate virtual size measurement using mobile camera data.
Clothing
While virtual try-on for clothing is more complex on account of aspects like fit and fabric drape, many retailers are finding modern solutions. Zara launched an in-store AR experience, where customers can see models wearing outfits briefly clips. Gap developed an AR app that permits customers to create an approximate model of themselves using body type, height, and weight. Tilly’s created an interactive in-store experience that boosted customer traffic by 30%.
Overcoming Challenges
Despite the challenges of making accurate 3D models and approximating body fit, many clothing retailers are experimenting with workarounds and approximations. By avoiding the harder technological challenges, retailers can still create engaging and effective AR experiences for his or her customers.
Conclusion
The integration of AR technology is revolutionizing the shopping experience across various industries. By providing immersive and interactive experiences, AR can increase customer engagement, conversion, and satisfaction. As the technology continues to evolve, we will expect to see much more modern applications of AR on the earth of shopping. With its potential to make shopping more fun and efficient, AR is prone to grow to be a necessary tool for retailers seeking to stay ahead of the curve.
