What is Augmented Reality (AR)?
Retail is one of ARs greatest fields for application; especially online shopping. People may now be used to the concept of ecommerce solution; however some products still need additional context which may make selling them online challenging.
Augmented Reality uses smart hardware such as smartphones or Smart Spectacles AR Glasses as tools to overlay digital information directly onto what people can see with these smart devices - an effective solution.
AR uses machine learning and computer vision algorithms to track users in their real environment and recognize images.
Users are then able to interact with real world items as though they were held directly. AR could drastically transform our interactions with our environment by merging digital information with physical objects.
Burrow, an online furniture retailer, recently created an AR app enabling their customers to place 3D Burrow models directly in their living rooms.
What Is The Difference Between AR And VR?
Ar Augmented Reality, But Vr Completely Immerses You In It
Augmented reality merely augments our real world, which you still perceive and perceive to some degree. Virtual reality such as Metas Oculus Quest creates an artificial, immersive world you can enter - you dont usually see or perceive this one though you may still feel something about it.
Ever heard of Pokemon Go? This famous AR app allowed users to enjoy playing while out and about and overlay digital characters over physical environments for gameplay.
Virtual Reality Equipment Is Required For Virtual Reality
Virtual reality requires you to use a virtual headset and possibly hold controllers. Its also important to ensure that the physical space you are in is protected from...well, yourself.
Dont punch your TV while you are boxing VR. AR, on the other side, requires a smartphone or, in some cases, AR glasses. You wont have to leave the room because you will be aware of the surroundings.
Ar Is More Accessible Than Vr
AR is also easier to use because it requires less safety equipment and less gear. The number of users who can use a VR app is far less than the current 3 billion smartphone owners worldwide.
What AR Types can be Implemented in your E-commerce Solution?
Experts also call these applications AR, or AR functionalities, that you can add to your online store. Lets take the plunge and learn about these applications.
Marker-Based AR
Marker-based AR uses an object image or pattern made up of black-and-white pixels as visual markers to impose three dimensional content onto an environment, using computer vision algorithms as recognition mechanisms for these markers.
AR applications with camera access must continuously scan to bring into focus images for geometry creation by markers; otherwise it risks losing focus during shifting camera focus which would obscure them and prevent their recognition by markers.
Should focus shift, objects may no longer be visible due to unfavorable lighting conditions and may go unseen altogether.
Markerless AR
AR type that relies on computer vision algorithms and machine learning for tracking real world shapes, colors and textures.
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), an AR analysis method without markers, uses its 3D sensors to scan its surrounding environment to locate maps with 3D objects that do not move when hidden from user view.
It provides users with peace of mind knowing their maps wont go anywhere.
This system can detect and identify objects without prior knowledge as it uses computer graphics combined with real world pictures to accurately detect objects in its environment.
AR apps present two principal challenges to their developers - managing data effectively and designing algorithms to facilitate learning processes.
AR Based on Location
Location-based AR is a form of AR that uses sensors such as GPS, cameras, and other devices to determine the users location.
This allows digital products near the user to be overlaid on the surrounding real world. The AR application will ask you to capture the surrounding environment, including roads, landmarks and other features.
Pokemon Go, Ingress and Wizards Unite are examples of AR mobile apps that use location. Google will also use location-based AR for a WebAR called VPS (Visual Positioning System), a successor to GPS (Geographic Positioning System).
This WebAR is designed to enhance the Google Maps experience.
Projector-Based AR
The projection-based AR system projects synthetic light onto a flat surface to display 3D images. The SLAM model can even recognize human interaction with projected augmentation.
This AR can be used to create holograms that will give your customers an engaging and fun experience in the offline world.
AR Architecture for E-Commerce Solutions
AR architecture should reflect your desired functions. Architectural designs for AR systems typically contain several key components, including User Interface (UI), AR Engine, Gadgets and Client Applications as well as core e-Commerce Systems like CMS SRM ERP PIM etc.
Additionally, databases storing 3D models coordinateal navigational data as well as metadata are vitally important components.
At AR Solutions Group we will work closely with your online business and legacy software vendors to develop a tailored SaaS solution integrated with AR to facilitate centralised management across your entire organisation.
The Top Benefits Of Implementing AR in E-Commerce
You are curious how AR could be useful for your online shopping e-commerce business. AR has several benefits that can be derived from your online shopping cart app.
Brand Awareness Campaigns Supported
Augmented Reality in E-Commerce makes an immediate and profound impactful statement about what the future of retail can hold, creating curiosity within users to learn more and increasing brand recognition while strengthening marketing messages.
For retailers, AR solution can make all the difference.
Early adopters have praised AR for giving their brands an exclusive, modern, and disruptive feel.
Customers who have used AR for online purchasing will likely return again, creating brand loyalty in customers as they make subsequent purchases from your company.
This encourages future purchases from you.
Reach New Customer Base
Buzz and Humor will get your business operations noticed in this competitive world; following current trends such as AR is one way of doing just that and will attract attention across generations and age groups alike.
As soon as AR features are implemented in your online platform, AR functionality and features will make waves in terms of customer acquisition.
Come up with exciting marketing campaigns designed specifically to raise awareness and gain more customers for yourself. This way youll attract even more potential clients.
Reducing Product Return Rates
AR provides real-world engagement through its TRY-ON feature, even from across oceans away. AR gives your engagement an authentic feel by adding real world touches such as TRY-ON functionality.
This software offers realistic 3D views of objects and product displays as well as overlays in 3D for greater user immersion and reduction of product returns, creating an unparalleled user experience and increasing sales by decreasing returns.
It plays an enormous role in user satisfaction; not only giving an immersive and convincing experience to its users but also increasing sales by decreasing product returns.
Order-return cases should only include similar products available at lower prices, damaged merchandise or sudden customer churn.
Enhancing Customer Engagement and Experience
AR is an interactive technology which engages your customers to visit your website to view products.
What would make an online store even better as a retailer than having customers spend longer there? Building relationships with your customers increases conversions as you develop strong bonds that ensure they return.
Unlocks Next-Level Personalization
The combination of AR and AI allows users to customize their shopping experiences. According to Statista, by 2024, there will be 1,73 billion mobile AR devices active around the globe.
This study will help retailers to improve their customer engagement through e-commerce.
Supply Chain Management
Implementing AR into your ecommerce app development platform can unlock numerous benefits in supply chain management.
By having real-time information about stock levels and locations available to you, intelligent decisions can be made to streamline inventory control management and increase profitability.
Warehouse personnel also benefit from real-time information about how orders are packaged and sent out for shipping - increasing accuracy and efficiency in this crucial step of production.
Attractive Inventory Analysis Software reduces inventory analyses that consume time and resource; retail teams no longer rely on teams as much.
Furthermore, its coverage includes space requirements as well as human effort requirements necessary for seamless operations in retail businesses that rely heavily on supply chains.
What Are the Disadvantages of AR?
Its more intuitive and natural than it seems. There is a great deal of effort involved in creating an AR experience for users that feels natural.
Also, there are various ways consumers can misuse your product. Costs are a major limitation of augmented realities. AR also has some other drawbacks.
Unaffordable
Some AR apps may be too complex for users. App costs range anywhere from zero dollars up to over $100,000 depending on how complex or simple your campaign or app is.
Due to higher costs associated with this technology, only large corporations possess enough funds available for investment into it.
Small-scale business cost of ownership would likely require extra capital in order to afford it.
Promote Risky Behavior
Augmented Reality (AR) is a form of technology which overlays virtual information onto real life environments such as games or entertainment, for use in areas like entertainment.
Although AR technology has existed for some time now, smartphone- and tablet-based AR experiences now come at more reasonable costs, making AR experiences widely accessible to more people than ever before.
Ars Main Disadvantages Are Addiction And Fatalities
This is one of the downsides of AR. Psychologists and doctors have dubbed this addiction "smartphone flu."
Regarding real-life problems, such as accidents at work, augmented reality presents some challenges. Factory workers may lean too far over and injure themselves because their contact lenses or glasses block vision.
Health Issues
Studies indicate the dangers posed by AR devices are numerous; hearing loss, eye damage and behavioral changes could all occur as possible outcomes of AR use.
Google Daydream conducted another study, discovering users tend to mistake virtual environments as real, which results in differences in how users process and perceive information - potentially leading to mental disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Statistics on Augmented Reality and Ecommerce
Advertisers in retail and other sectors have begun to recognize augmented realitys growing prevalence in advertising campaigns.
Here are some numbers to back this up.
AR advertising revenues worldwide will surpass $1.41 Billion this year after exceeding half a billion in 2023. One AR research company anticipates advertising revenues could surpass $8 Billion by 2024; and according to market estimates that 43 million Americans will use AR on social networks at least once every month by 2025; representing almost 21% of social media users.
By 2030, Marketer predicts that 83.15.5 million Americans will be regularly using AR on devices of all kinds by using an estimate from June 2022 survey respondents of 35% using it to visualize furniture or vehicle customizations with AR; another 25% used it for visualizing furniture/vehicle customizations using VR/AR; 20% of U.S.
retail companies said they planned investing in VR or AR for online stores versus just 8% previously (the latter figure represents growth from earlier).
As 5G provides more bandwidth, retailers will likely see greater interest in AR/VR experiments with it.
The Ecommerce Industry is Using Augmented Reality
AR enables ecommerce clients to experience products and services at their convenience, in the environment of their choice.
AR allows your potential customers to preview the products they are interested in and make a more informed decision.
Virtual Try-On Solutions
People of all ages have, at some point, said this phrase after trying on clothing for the first time and realizing it doesnt suit them at all.
Fear of failure can significantly lower conversion rates. Shoppers want to know exactly what they are buying, taking every precaution necessary to make sure it matches up with what they expect if they decide to make a purchase and it falls short of meeting those expectations, leading them back into your store or online shop where returns become the norm.
AR technology helps online buyers better comprehend what products theyre purchasing and their impact. AR can be utilized when shopping for eyewear, clothing and makeup online.
Preview Placement
How big will the television screen be in your room? What size will the television appear when mounted on your wall? Even when looking at an item in the store, it can take time to judge the size.
A preview placement allows customers to see what the product looks like in their environment. DTCs furniture brand Burrow makes use of AR to allow customers to visualize their sofas in the living room.
Interactive User Manuals
An interactive manual could be an AR app that helps users understand your product better if you sell a product with a steep learning curve.
Interactive user guides respond to the users actions and provide on-page context support for a software program, website or application. AR apps for user manuals scan the products and show the buttons using text and animations.
Social Media Filters
Recently you may have come across AR filters on Instagram Stories or Snapchat that initially served only entertainment.
But in recent months more brands are jumping aboard ARs trend through social media filters.
AR filters provide an incredible way to demonstrate a product, as people can see how it looks on them directly. Not only are AR filters fun to use but also encourage audience engagement by including you as a tag in peoples posts - helping your brand stand out amongst competitors by showing its allure with eye-catching social media posts that leave viewers impressed and engaged.
How Augmented Reality Can Help You Grow Your Store
The difficulty in representing three-dimensional products in a two-dimensional virtual environment is one of the biggest limitations of ecommerce business.
AR helps bridge the gap between online shopping and physical shopping by making it easy to present merchandise. AR is a powerful tool that can assist you in achieving the following:
Customer Engagement Is Key To Increasing Sales
AR offers high levels of interactivity, making it simple for customers to interact with your website and brand. As they stay longer on it, their chances of making purchases increase; otherwise theyll simply remember your brand through developing a relationship.
Reach New Customers
Youll need to generate a buzz in order to get the attention of people. You can do this by creating an AR campaign that is engaging.
Reducing Returns
AR allows you to give your customers more information than a simple static image or video. You can also show how a product will look in the consumers home, reducing the likelihood that theyll receive a product and find out its not what they expected.
How Can You Bring It To Your Ecommerce Store Using AR?
Here are some steps to take if you decide to use AR for your business.
Clarify Business Goals
What are Your Goals and Benefits? Dont stop at answering only the first question when considering creating an AR app; consider all aspects that make for an excellent customer experience for all customers as you develop and test.
Before diving in with AR technology, its essential that you define your goals and vision. Achieved this way makes selecting technologies and techniques much simpler.
Select The Augmented Reality Tool You Want To Use
Once you know what project you will undertake, the tools needed can become clear. Think about:
If your budget is tight, a platform offering free licenses may be the better choice. Most AR platforms provide both paid and free versions; keep in mind, however, that paid software may be less powerful.
When planning to run AR apps on mobile phones, laptops, or AR glasses it is essential that any chosen software can run them seamlessly.
Make sure the platform chosen supports all operating systems you plan to incorporate in your app, carefully considering each platform for features necessary for development cost of location-based applications using AR technology.
Some platforms will only support certain operating systems but these should still provide options if constructing location-based AR apps is something of a goal of yours.
Promote Your New Product
Once your new tool has been launched, it must be communicated widely - either online or via traditional methods such as word of mouth.
There are various means available for spreading awareness: advertising or word of mouth campaigns can work equally as well.
Create promotional videos and tutorials of your app to explain its workings, provide clear instructions so people know exactly how best to utilize your product, and allow users to share the AR experiences they had via social media with their peers.
Wrapping Up
Product descriptions that can be challenging to sell online due to being difficult to imagine in reality can often require using augmented reality apps - something which has increased since social distance has begun to form between us all.
Now is the time for you to explore whether Augmented Reality (AR) could be right for your company. Take these steps to help bring an AR app into existence.
