How AR Helps Online Retailers Build a New Sales Experience
One of the limitations of online sales is that potential customers can’t interact with products. Augmented reality (AR) is breaching the gap and enabling creative ways for online retailers build immersive buying experiences for the next generation of web customers.
Since the advent of e-commerce websites, the online sales experience has been less than optimal. While there’s no denying the convenience of clicking to purchase and ship products, it’s difficult to imagine how goods such as shoes, clothes, and watches will actually look on you. Thanks to the latest augmented reality (AR) technology available through smartphones, customers can now get a more interactive look at products to help them make their buying decisions. AR is an even more vital tool for the latest generation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands who don’t have any physical stores. AR now allows these merchants to help influence buying decisions by enabling customers to “try on” or interact with virtual versions of their products.
“You can even call AR a new sales channel, one that’s set between the virtual space and the actual world,” said Doug Stephens, a retail industry consultant and author of two books covering innovations in retail, Reengineering Retail and The Retail Revival. Stephens believes that AR as a selling tool for retailers and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands has evolved beyond its trial balloon basis, and is now a more widely accepted solution for both retailers and busy buyers.
“AR is bridging the gap for retailers and can allow consumers to have a more immersive and contextual relationship with products, without necessarily having to invest in more bricks-and-mortar infrastructure,” Stephens explained.
Trying on Gucci’s AR Sneakers
While AR has been successfully used to demo and sell furniture and household accessories, it’s starting to become more accessible and make inroads into other product categories as well. For example, fashion label Gucci is one of the newest proponents of AR as a sales tool. The company is aiming at sneakerheads and casual shoppers with its iOS Gucci App that superimposes various models of its trendy Ace Sneaker line onto users’ feet using an iPhone’s camera and screen.
Granted, virtually trying on a pair of designer sneakers will not give you an exact feel for the fit of the shoes, but you can at least see how the different shoe styles look on your feet. Gucci’s app is a great way to see how consumer AR has evolved, but it’s only available so far on iOS-based phones. (There is an Android app, but it does not have the AR sneakers functionality.)
After installing the Gucci App on my iPhone 7, I pointed my phone at the shoes that I was wearing, and I could see the Gucci Ace sneakers superimposed onto my actual shoes. The amount of detail on the AR sneakers is impressive. I could see the grain in the leather and the matte or glossy finish on the shoes. Being able to try different styles on by simply swiping icons on my phone helped me visualize how the different styles would look on my feet.
There are still limitations in Gucci’s app: you can see the top and side views of the sneakers but the soles are not visible. But the AR app worked well enough for me on a three-year-old smartphone, which convinced me not only that these experiences will continue to improve, but that they’re ready for initial deployment right now. Stephens noted that, given the power of current handheld devices, we’re really only limited by processing power and network speeds.
“In order to make AR models look real and not animated, these programs require a tremendous amount of processing power,” Stephens said. “I think when 5G cell service becomes ubiquitous, we’re going to see another step change in terms of processing speed and power that will help us see a new level of reality.”
While smartphone apps seems to hold the key to unbiquitous AR experiences, WebAR, which is an open specification for viewing AR content on any website, extends the possibilities to 2-in-1’s, tablets, foldables, and a whole new generation of devices.
Leveraging technology such as AR and social media gives smaller companies a leg up and makes their brands more recognizable and competitive.
“You can now start a business that captures consumer attention on a global basis that, through technology, allows consumers to have meaningful interactions with your product,” Stephens said. “Customers are having these experiences in a virtual space and getting enough information to make a purchasing decision.”
Using AR to Engage With Meerson Watch Clients
Luxury watch designer Alexandre Meerson specializes in limited-edition timepieces which are tailored to a client’s detailed specifications. His company, Meerson Watches, is based in England but has a factory in Switzerland. And aside from a newly opened boutique in New York, it really doesn’t have much of a physical store presence. AR, social media, and video conferencing tech make it possible to extend the showroom experience into its clients’ homes and offices.
Watchmakers at Meerson Watches have appointments with clients and consult with them through each step of their watch’s creation. While this tailored approach works when your watchmaker is located in the same town or city, it becomes challenging when a brand’s customers are located all over the world. That’s where AR comes in.
Meerson Watches uses AR and 3D models as consultation tools so that remote clients can see the progress of their watch being built in real time. The 3D models of bespoke watches are superimposed onto real surroundings and clients can scroll, swipe, and pinch to zoom around the different details as the watch is being built.
“With AR, clients can sit at their desk or at home, and either see the piece on the table or on their screen. And they can really go around it to look at the details and the different finishes. I can guide them in realtime and I show things which could be points of interest,” Meerson said. The tech replaces the personal consultation aspect of Meerson Watches’ showroom experience.
“It’s a real relationship focused on attention to detail while involving clients in the process,” Meerson said. “AR is not a visualization tool used just for fun; its purpose is to help manage expectations. Clients are very impressed that the finished watch is identical to the 3D renderings.”
Right now, Meerson’s clients can have AR-enhanced conversations with their watch’s leather makers and dial makers. In the future, Meerson expects that his clients will be able have these types of AR-enhanced conversations with different artisans involved in their watch’s creation. These conversations already help “clients understand what’s happening and the value of what is being created,” Meerson said.
While AR retail implementations may still be in their early stages, they are expected to grow along with adoption in other industries (see above Statista chart). Given the surge in AR use in retail, you can expect to encounter more of this tech during your online shopping excursions in coming years. Market research firm Statista found that the projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of AR and virtual reality (VR) spending for retail showcasing is forecasted to be 102.8 percent worldwide between 2018 to 2023.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com on December 17, 2019.
