Games like Pokemon Go proved that is a market for Augmented reality (AR). As the technology continues to evolve, though, more companies are discovering new applications for AR. In fact, many experts believe that an uprising of AR in the ecommerce industry will change the ways that people buy and sell products. Some even see the introduction of AR as a natural progression in digital commerce.
Why AR Will Reshape Ecommerce
No matter what industry we are talking about, the technology that provides more freedom for both entrepreneurs and customers will be the winner. AR will reshape ecommerce by giving sellers and buyers new ways to communicate. Instead of basing their buying decisions on static images, consumers have the opportunity to interact with products before they buy.
Depending on how companies embrace AR, you can definitely expect to see some of the following benefits.
Enhanced Customer Experience
AR can bring items to life so consumers get to understand what they’re buying. Enhanced customer experiences include options like:
- Seeing what a new sofa will look like in your own living room rather than seeing it in a generic showroom.
- Viewing the product from multiple angles.
- Seeing what clothes will look like on your body.
More Options
AR will give ecommerce sellers more options to attract consumers and convince them to buy products. With AR, companies can turn shopping into a fun experience through gamification, visual information, and customization.
Less Time
When buyers have a chance to interact with goods, they don’t have to spend as much time reading about the products. Currently, when you buy an item from a platform like Amazon, you have to read a lot of content to make sure you’re choosing the right product. If you could view the product in all dimensions, though, you would spend less time shopping.
Fewer Risks
Since consumers get to interact with products before they buy them, companies that adopt AR technology can expect to process fewer returns. This approach helps create fewer risks for the buyer and the seller.
How Amazon is Making AR-Ecommerce Part of Its Strategy
If you doubt that many companies will adopt AR technology, consider that Amazon, the titan of eCommerce, has already started to introduce AR to its customers. Assuming that Amazon has success with AR technology, other businesses will follow the lead soon thereafter.
Amazon Uses AR to Let You See Home and Office Products
Currently, Amazon uses AR so customers can see what specific items look like within their environments. When buying home and office products, you want to know what the items will look like in your rooms. Amazon’s AR experience provides that opportunity. As a result, people can buy more confidently than ever.
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Alexa-Powered Smart Glasses
Alexa can connect to many devices, including your phone, smartwatch, and entertainment system. Up until recently, though, no one had access to Alexa-powered smart glasses. The first smart glasses for Alexa were presented at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in January 2018.
Soon, Amazon will use Alexa-powered smart glasses and AR technology to help consumers explore product options. Ideally, smart glasses will provide a more immersive experience than smartphones. With immersive AR, shoppers will have a clearer picture of what products look like. Depending on the features that Amazon chooses to include, consumers could even have the opportunity to manipulate products and view them from multiple angles.
What to Expect From AR-Powered Ecommerce in the Future
It’s difficult to predict the future of technology. It is possible, though, to spot new trends and imagine how they might evolve over the next few years.
First, you can expect to see more ecommerce platforms using AR. Because of that change, you may also see more people using smart glasses that enhance the properties of AR.
Second, you can expect to find more companies using their marketing budgets to build useful, inviting apps that will help consumers explore their options and choose the perfect items. Companies like IDEA, Microsoft, and Walmart Marketplace have already announced that they plan to introduce AR soon. Doing so will lower the cost of processing returns and increase consumer happiness.
No matter what AR does to ecommerce, it will influence the way that sellers promote their products and consumers choose what they want to buy. That’s a guarantee.
