Constant technological innovation isn’t news today; it is, as a matter of fact, the need of the hour. This is why the e-commerce industry is quick to embrace any progress that promises better user experiences. While such advancements in technology are terrific, the fact remains that there are only a few that qualify to be described as profound, or revolutionary, if you will. It is one of the best examples of such a technology is augmented reality. Augmented reality integrates digital information with the physical environment, transforming the essence of the human experience and, so, offering a whole new world of opportunities for businesses to deliver high-quality experiences to their customers.
Considering that physical products constitute a significant chunk of e-commerce sales across the globe, AR stands to empower businesses with a unique marketing opportunity. For example, it can be used to allow customers to be a part of a story encompassing a product. By enabling consumers to picture the products in the frame of reference to the environment, they will be used in serves to fortify e-commerce sales. eCommerce businesses are leveraging augmented reality. Read on to see the different ways such companies are using this tool to enhance their business.
1. Virtual aisles
One of the biggest charms of shopping at a brick and mortar store is the availability of products across arranged aisles and shelves. What AR does is enable e-commerce businesses to offer the retail experience to their customers. E-commerce businesses can use a mobile app to project a virtual shelf on to the walls of a consumer’s home. Customers have to point and click on the products they want for more information about them and to buy them.
2. Fuss-free choices
In the context of furniture, for example, the product experience is considered complete only when the item is placed in the intended space. It can’t be done without the commitment from the buyer. In such cases, augmented reality offers e-commerce retailers the chance to build experience spaces within customers’ homes and prove the product in action. It serves as an exceptional opportunity to transform e-commerce into a fuss-free medium for selling sans the challenges that arise from the inability to visualize products in their intended environment.
3. Access to more options without the commitment
While shopping has a rewarding quality to it, there’s only so much a shopper will strive to try out various options. , augmented reality can help cut that arduous process by allowing consumers to try out an endless number of options and that too without any commitment or hassle.
4. Digital marketing
Considering the power that social media marketing currently wields, it is a crucial part of e-commerce strategies too. Now, what AR does is present an increased number of opportunities to encourage customers to create user-generated content, which businesses can then use to share and promote to drive more traffic to their e-commerce stores. Among the most popular ways to leverage AR for such strategies is when businesses use branded filters on apps such as Snapchat. Such initiatives result in humongous amounts of user-generated content that serves as not only endorsements but also word-of-mouth marketing.
Augmented reality also helps customers feel a sense of ownership when they engage with digital information layered upon a product. Moreover, to think that these are only a handful of ways that augmented reality is changing how we interact with our environment. Leaders in the e-commerce industry understand the immense potential of augmented reality in transforming how customers look for and check out products before buying them. If you too want to join the AR brigade, it would be advisable to hire a trusted company providing eCommerce solutions services. That way, you can get started on revamping your e-commerce business with AR with confidence!
