Customers are more likely to purchase big-ticket items if they have an opportunity to visualise them at home through their mobile, with 33% saying they would do so on the spot if they could use augmented reality (AR).
So reveals new research from DigitalBlue, which reports that augmented reality would speed up customer decision-making process by closing the ‘imagination gap’ – a big frustration for consumers who can’t imagine what a product will look like in situ.
Augmented reality can transform the world in front of customers on a smartphone and ease the pain of everyday tasks. For instance, re-designing a room like a kitchen, bathroom or a bedroom can be a complex task and if people get it wrong it’s an expensive investment which is incredibly difficult to reverse. This, in turn, will offer plenty of opportunities for retailers looking to improve their sales and customer experience. As it will equip a retailer to maximise their direct influence over a customers’ journey and minimise an uncertainty over a product, thus decreasing the rate of returns.
The report reveals that AR is also increasing the trend of “social shopping,” meaning that shoppers are able to share their shopping experience via their mobile with a social network of friends and family. With 26% reporting that they are fond of the notion of being able to instantly share their ideas and get feedback from their loved ones before splashing their cash. Whereas, 49% is attracted to the practicality it brings, allowing consumers to plan out and test a product’s compatibility with their home.
David Levine, founder and CEO of award-winning mixed reality business DigitalBridge explains: “Modern mobile devices have all the hardware, displays and processes available for AR use and, following the launch of Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore, which allow developers to create immersive AR experiences on mobile, it’s really thrown the tech into the mainstream. As a result, this kind of technology is revolutionising the way in which consumers interact with mobile devices.
He adds: “More and more retailers are beginning to explore the benefits of the tech. For instance, Converse launched an AR app where customers could try on a range of their shoes by using their phone’s camera to overlay a projection of the shoe on their feet. IKEA, meanwhile, has used AR to overlay 3D models of its products on the real-time feed of the camera, so customers can try out different furniture styles in their home before making a purchasing decision.” Recently, Amazon launched its AR feature, allowing customers to visualise products in their home via their smartphone camera and augmented reality technology.
Picture credit: PR Agency One
