When it comes to online shopping, AR is changing the consumers’ relationship with the products in the course of shopping. AR which gives an integrating link between the digital and the physical realities brings in better awareness, reduces return rates thereby improving the conversion rates. In this blog, I will discuss how companies can apply augmented reality to make the experience customers get in an e-commerce store even better and of course more lucrative.
Augmented Reality in E-commerce: Meaning
Augmented Reality places additional information on top of real life visuals and may be done through handheld devices or AR glasses. In e-commerce the use of this technology can help customers to make a purchase by showing them how the product would appear in real life. For example, furniture sellers use the AR apps that allow customers to visually decide how the sofa would look in their house, without possibility of mistake.
Statista revealed that the global AR industry has the potential to reach $97.76 billion by the year 2028, this gives potential for the growth of this technology in the different markets such as the e-commerce business.
Advantages of employing Augmented Reality to an E-commerce Company
Implementing augmented reality in your e-commerce business can offer numerous benefits, including:
Enhanced Customer Experience
AR adds value as a shopping tool as customers can engage with products in real-time. For instance, companies such as Sephora, in the beauty production sector, help their clients to try makeup through the use of augmented reality when buying the product.
Reduced Return Rates
Another problem associated with e-commerce is that it has a high return rate. Augmented Reality helps the customer to make decisions through visualising products as they really are. An article from Retail Dive reveals that product physical appearance, a phenomenon, accounts for 22% of returns.
Higher Conversion Rates
AR can therefore help to increase conversions by up to a multiple of three. According to Google, 61% of consumers prefer to shop with brands that present them with augmented reality experiences. And when they have the conceptual map of how this or that product can be incorporated into their life, they are going to buy it.
How to Introduce Augmented Reality into Your Online Store
a. Choose the Right AR Platform
In this article, you will find that e-Commerce AR solutions like Zakeke, Threekit, ROAR and many more are available. Choose a platform that entails the product offering you have and the amount of money you are willing to spend.
b. AR Product Visualizations should be created.
Collaborate with designers to design your products so as to achieve the actual look of the products in 3D models. Make sure these models are of very high quality and accuracy to enable the customers to benefit from the services.
c. Implement AR as a Part of Website and App
Make sure that your AR features fit well into your website or application. The navigation within the UI should be easy, and the AR experience must be easily downloadable to hold the customers’ attention.
Augmented Reality – The Future of E-commerce
For augmented reality, the future in e-commerce stores is very promising. This is as a result of the continued technological enhancements in AR and their application in peoples daily life. It is for this reason that the next-generation Aha is going to have things like gesture recognition, voice commands, as well as many-user augmented reality experience.
Gartner has predicted that by 2025 seventy-five percent of the retailers are bound to use AR technologies in enhancing AR shopping and customer experience. Being aware of this trend can help your e-commerce business get a big competitive advantage.
Conclusion
I believe that incorporating augmented reality into your e-commerce plans is no more a decision on luxury, but one on necessity. As known by most industry experts, technological innovations play a crucial role in improving customer satisfaction, decreasing return rates, and increasing volume of sales through interactional shopping.
Implementing AR today will create an umbrella effect around your brand and place you strategically ahead of your competitors in e-commerce. So today is the day to step up your game and bring your online store into the modern age, be more appealing and make more money!