New Dimensions of Shopping Reality
Buy more? Or easier? Traffic jams, time wasting, difficult choice — all that makes trivial going to the shops a disaster. How to facilitate buying and avoid choice uncertainty — that’s a good question. The answer is located in another plane: transfer to a new reality. Virtual one.
Want to be healthy and do some physical activity? Classical shopping with some novelty, AR glasses — sounds fancy! Let’s come closer.
One of the most intriguing trends of interface improvement is usage of virtual reality. It means full submerging into an artificially recreated (by means of special hard- and software) environment with involving at least one sense (vision). Other senses, like hearing, taste, smell and touch, can be employed as well. The main point is to make a wow-experience in a relatively inexpensive and energy-saving way.
According to CCS Insight, 22 million VR and AR devices will be sold in 2018, with 500% growth up to 121 million items in 2022. Such impressive growth can be explained with an immense advance in hardware building and technologies. Increased performance of processors, video devices and other equipment enabled creation of more sophisticated virtual worlds with higher resolution and more reality-like physics.
Although, the main field of VR application is gaming and entertainment industry, this technology is also used in engineering, design, extraction of minerals, military industry, buildings, training aids and simulators, marketing and advertising. Now we are approaching to our pivotal question: How can VR reshape the shopping pattern?
Let’s imagine, in the nearest future technical advances will go so far that they can provide VR experience which is hardly distinguishable from the reality. For example, car simulators will allow to feel almost the same as if you were driving an actual “tangible” car. Within an hour it will be possible to compare impressions of several cars in terms of their characteristics, steering response, suitability (exactly-for-you) and other aspects — and all that without leaving home!
Or, in case you actually want to leave home and travel to a resort, you can walk for a while inside a virtual model of any hotel at the destination. Just to be sure that upcoming vacation with your companion will be perfect.
But what about ordinary shopping? No time spent on the way there and back, no queues, no stress — simply a jet flight towards your consumption dreams! Thousands of goods will slide by like rows of weapons are passing Neo from The Matrix.
For those who prefer real life instead of the Matrix, augmented reality can be a solution. Rather than virtual reality, AR has a few details added to what we usually see. The most obvious example is goggles allowing their user to see somewhat not actually existing (e.g. pokemons, demons, Ai friends) or any parameters (let’s say, temperature, heart rate, motion speed, prices of goods around).
The last example looks fit for the topic. Needless to say, how much time will be saved if you don’t have to look for a price inscriptions on tens of pairs of jeans having the style you like. The price and size are barely glowing above the clothes tempting to spend more than you planned. Voila — the choice is predetermined.
However, it’s not about limitation of one’s freedom but leverage of decision making. A hard-thinking old lady stands in the middle of a room to be renovated. Despite of her fitness and yoga classes, it is not so easy for her to measure how much wallpaper is required, what type of wardrobe looks best in the room or how far a new carpet shall reach. With AR glasses and headset on, it’s a piece of cake to see a newly redecorated chamber with scrolling all the possible options of design and furniture. Experience and happiness will be shared instantly among her yoga-mates: “Look, what a nest awaits the dearest guests!”
What about your experiences, dreams and forecasts? Do you believe in VR/AR? Share your point of view! Let the future be closer!
