Today, around 87% of consumers begin their shopping journey on a digital platform, so ecommerce is well established, but it hasn’t been this way for long. As such, ecommerce is a relatively new phenomenon, and innovations are constantly being made.
One such innovation is the implementation of augmented reality (AR) to enhance the customer experience. So how can you use the latest AR technology to help take your ecommerce business to the next level?
What is AR?
AR technology allows us to enhance live images with 3D visuals to create a “real world” experience. For instance, AR allows you to see a live image of your face, and artificially place a 3D hat on your head. As you move, the hat moves with you, staying on your head and giving the sense of a real-world experience.
We’re used to seeing AR in social media apps and video games, which is perhaps a reason why some people see it has a bit gimmicky, but there’s no denying AR can be a powerful tool in ecommerce. AR is a very useful and fun piece of tech for you to use in your spare time but also for your business. From Pokemon Go to including it in your marketing campaign, AR is the face of the future.
AR isn’t limited to showcasing your products in a “real world” environment, though, it’s also a useful tool in your after-sales support and promotional efforts.
How Can AR Benefit Your Ecommerce Business?
The bottom line is you want more sales for your ecommerce business, and AR can help in all areas of this pursuit. If used well, AR can significantly boost your conversion rates, increase customer loyalty, and promote your business to new customers.
AR might be relatively new technology, but it’s here, and you can start to take advantage of it today. Many retailers are missing out at the moment, which means it’s a great opportunity for your store.
Boost Conversion Rates
People generally love online shopping for one key reason – convenience. For all the convenience it provides, though, you do lose out on some of the key parts of the traditional shopping experience.
One of those aspects is the ability to try things on or see them in a real-world environment. If you’re buying a hat online, you get to see what it looks like on someone else’s head, but how do you know what it looks like on your head?
Being able to show your products in AR allows customers to have that important experience of seeing what the product looks like in a “real world” environment without having to go to a physical shop. Your conversion rates will increase.
Increase Customer Loyalty
On top of allowing customers to see what your products look like in a “real world” environment, AR can greatly enhance your customer’s experience after purchase.
One innovative way AR can help you build customer loyalty is through interactive manuals that can be downloaded to a customer’s mobile device. With an interactive manual, your customer can point their camera at the product, and AR will recognize the product, augmenting the image with instructions and other useful information.
By including this feature, it can really help customers in setting up their new product. Product assembly is one of the most common causes of customer dissatisfaction, so finding an innovative way to overcome assembly problems can be invaluable.
People want to see that your company goes above and beyond to solve their problems. If you can show you do this through something like an AR instruction manual, you’re going to see your customer loyalty improve.
Reach New Customers
Marketing changes as fast as ecommerce does, and just as it can in ecommerce, AR can play a big part in your marketing efforts. In such a crowded space, it can be difficult to grab the attention of your ideal customers, but AR is one way of standing out and demanding their attention.
The power of AR isn’t necessarily about the tools you can use for your marketing, it’s as much about what it says about your brand. If you can successfully implement AR into your marketing strategy, then it says so many positive things about your brand.
According to Shopify, nearly 70% of consumers expect brands to be engaging with AR in the near future, but in reality, around 66% of companies don’t use AR at all. Being in the 33% of companies that are taking advantage of AR shows potential customers that you know what they want and are a forward-thinking company.
Be Ahead of the Future
AR is undoubtedly going to play a big part in the future of ecommerce, but the technology is here now. 66% of companies aren’t using it to take their business forward, but there’s no reason you can’t. The best augmented reality apps can make a big difference to your ecommerce business today, and they’re not difficult to get set up.
You jump at any chance to distinguish your business from the competition, so why not do so by making good use of AR? Creative use of this technology allows your brand to stand out, while boosting conversion rates, increasing customer loyalty, and reaching new customers.
