The future of retail should be exciting, with new technologies sweeping through the industry and creating a transformational swift. Augmented reality (AR) is one of the leading technologies of the future, as it will present a new way of experiencing retail to help businesses stand out within a competitive industry. This can help drive sales, build branding loyalty, and boost Return on Investment (ROI).
Businesses that incorporate AR experiences into their retail strategy are 41% more likely to attract more customers than those who don’t have it, as it offers something unique that captures attention. To add to this, it was found that 66% of individuals have an interest in using AR technology to enhance their shopping experience and help them with their product selection. Shopify predicts that 3 out of 4 people will be using AR technology for shopping on a regular basis by 2025.
AR is already making huge advancements in the retail industry and we are going to explore this throughout the rest of this article. We’ll identify the ways the technology can be used and the benefits it can bring to shopping.
Product Visualisation
Businesses have begun using AR capabilities that let users see and project different products after realising the need to streamline the buying process. Product visualisation is a way that companies can do this by using the following techniques:
Furniture
IKEA has started to utilise AR with IKEA Kreativ, which allows users to create a complete 3D replica of their room and place new pieces of furniture inside it to see what it looks like. All you need to do is scan your room using the LiDAR technology that is integrated into the iPhone 12 and beyond. It then allows customers to add furniture to the room or replace existing furniture with new ones to see how it looks. This takes the stress of purchasing furniture in-store and taking it home just to realise that it doesn’t fit or look right.
Car Accessories
For car shoppers, AR has taken their user experience to the next level. Ways to showcase accessories and car parts have often been lacking by dealerships and garages, as images can easily become outdated and irrelevant. AR has given motorists the opportunity to add computer-generated accessories to their vehicles through advanced technologies. Toyota has developed AR application technology that combines machine learning and Apple’s ARkit for an optimal experience.
Clothing
AR can also be used for clothing with some businesses offering customers the chance to use a technology that can alter the colour and stylistic choices of some types of clothing. For example, if you are wanting to purchase a full suit including the shirt, blazer, pants and tie, you can seamlessly edit each part until you get to the perfect suit for you. This helps with the choosing process and makes it easier to purchase your dream suit.
‘Try Before You Buy’ Immersion
Shoes
Consumers can use AR to virtually try on products and see how they look on themselves in real-time. Several high-profile brands have started to use AR for this exact purpose with Amazon taking the largest strides in making this a reality. They have a new feature called ‘Virtual Try-On for Shoes’ that enables users to select any pair of shoes and see how they would look on themselves with the use of a smartphone. Customers can virtually put them on their feet while simultaneously altering the colours of each part of the shoe.
Skin Care
AR allows customers to get personalised recommendations on different types of skincare with Vanity Planet’s Skin Reporter being the most popular tool. The application will evaluate the topical health of your skin within 30 seconds of face analysis. It then identifies any oil, wrinkles, dryness and texture differences on your skin before recommending products that best suit your skincare needs.
Hair Styling
Before you commit to dyeing your hair and purchasing any hair dye, you can use AR to see what you would look like with different colour hair. So, if you think you would look good with red hair but aren’t ready for the commitment, you can use an application to test it out. Some AR technologies can also edit your appearance virtually to see how you would look with different hairstyles.
In-store Shopping Gamification
Quizzes
After the popularity of Pokemon Go, many businesses have been attempting to latch onto the gamification trend when it comes to capitalising on AR technology. Tesco focused on this approach in the form of a ‘Big Night In’ family quiz through their shopping application. Customers could scan real life items using the app to unlock the game, which they can then use to test their knowledge through challenges where they can score points and trophies.
Storylines
Brands can add unique storylines to their products with the use of AR technology and gamification to offer customers an immersive experience. The brand ‘19 Crimes’ used AR for their wine marketing campaign. Customers can use the ‘Living Wine Labels’ AR application to view the men and women on the bottle labels come to life and share their harrowing stories. This makes customers feel as though they have more of a personal connection with the brand.
To make further use of this, brands could use this technique as a part of influencer marketing where you can use AR to see influencers on a label come to life.
Virtual Navigation and Displays
Storefront Displays
Conventional in-store shopping can be enhanced with AR through storefront displays. For example, AR allows digital displays to be easily incorporated into the physical environment to allow customers to interact with things in exciting and new ways, improving the shopping experience and helping them understand the products better. It is predicted that more people will be wearing AR glasses in public in the future, so these displays have a greater chance of being seen which can influence more customers to enter the store.
Pacsun used AR storefront displays to feature an eye-catching video of waves crashing against the shattered storefront window. This unique feature added an extra layer of excitement to the store and could be something that we see digital marketing agencies like Red Cow Media use in the future for their marketing campaigns to help drive business success.
Supermarket Navigation
Navigating a supermarket has been made much easier with the use of AR technology. Marks & Spencer have launched a new AR wayfinder application, which aims to enhance the shopping experience of customers by following an on-screen path that navigates them to the items that have been added to their virtual list. Your smartphone can be held up to see display markets and pinpoints as to where your item will be, whereas when you hold it down, you will see a compass appear on your screen. This then tells customers where to walk.
Final Thoughts
Augmented Reality (AR) is poised to revolutionise the retail industry and has already made huge strides within the few years that it has been available. It offers immersive experiences that bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds, as AR empowers businesses to captivate customers, drive sales and foster brand loyalty. From virtual try-ons to interactive product visualisations, AR unlocks a new era of personalised and engaging shopping experiences for all types of customers.
As technology continues to advance, we can anticipate even more innovative applications of AR, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of future retail success.
About the Author
After completing a University degree in Journalism, Darcy Fowler has dedicated a lot of time to learning about the dynamic world of ecommerce; working in multiple sectors while continuing to broaden her knowledge. Darcy is determined to provide interesting and insightful content with the hope of inspiring others.
