AR/VR integration in eCommerce
Currently the whole world and its economy is shaken. It is surviving on the basis of eCommerce market and its enomous growth, specially during this Covid-19 pandemic conditions. Its been almost an year, where world is suffering and fighting with this disease physically and also economically. Lockdown could save human lives but not the economy world wide. Still the world is trying to find out the solution from this condition to land on normalcy. Whereas on the other side many big eCommerce platforms have come up with AR and VR experiences for their customers. Main motive is to keep them safe and still give them the best shopping experience.
What is AR?
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are enhanced by computer-generated perceptual information, sometimes across multiple sensory
“AR can be defined as a system that fulfills three basic features: a combination of real and virtual worlds, real-time interaction, and accurate 3D registration of virtual and real objects”
What is VR?
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world.
Currently standard virtual reality systems use either virtual reality headsets or multi-projected environments to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that simulate a user’s physical presence in a virtual environment. A person using virtual reality equipment is able to look around the artificial world, move around in it, and interact with virtual features or items.
“Virtual reality (VR) refers to a computer-generated simulation in which a person can interact within an artificial three-dimensional environment using electronic devices, such as special goggles with a screen or gloves fitted with sensors.”
What Is Customer Experience?
In commerce, customer experience is the product of an interaction between an organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship.
“Customer experience is the impression your customers have of your brand as a whole throughout all aspects of the buyer’s journey. It results in their view of your brand and impacts factors related to your bottom line including revenue.”
Importance of Customer Experience
A remarkable customer experience is critical to the sustained growth of any business. A positive customer experience promotes loyalty, helps you retain customers, and encourages brand advocacy.
Undoubtedly, VR is expanding into ecommerce because marketers understand a high power and potential of this compelling experience. Ecommerce/retail-specific survey revealed that an astonishing 66% of shoppers are interested in buying items using VR.
People say that seeing is believing. That leads to the next conclusion: trying on seals the deal. The reason is customers tend to have deep-rooted desire to try before they buy. If online stores provide them with this exciting opportunity, customers are even ready to make more purchases than they planned before.
You certainly know eBay. They launched the first virtual reality department store in the world. To create it, eBay cooperated with Australian retailer Myer. For now, users may view more than 12, 500 items 100 of which are available in 3D
IKEA has introduced an AR app named Place, which enables Apple users to set IKEA furniture in their apartments and preview an interior before buying products. Thanks to this solution potential customers can choose furniture easier.
How AR/VR helps in eCommerce to revolutionize customer experience?
it already has affected e-commerce industry, however not on a mega-scale. We’re pretty sure that AR and VR will boost in the upcoming years, as implementation opportunities are vast. AR could be integrated into existing technologies, and thus it enables users to interact with products on a new level – they can try different styles without leaving their homes.
According to reports, an appalling 78.65% of shoppers abandon their carts before completing a purchase. This shows that retailers need to do a lot more to persuade customers to go ahead with the items in their carts and make the payment. Emerging technologies like AR and VR have the potential to reshape the world of retail.
- Virtual Shopping Experience
Imagine a customer visiting the shop and trying on various clothes to choose the best option. The customer is gushing here and there to try on all the varieties of the clothes. At some point, he or she gets tired or exhausted and ends up leaving the store or buy something which does not meet up to their expectations. This can disappoint the client and restrict them next time from shopping or coming to your store. Such incidents can turnover the customer and make a loss.
Instead, you try the newest trend in experiencing better shopping which is VR gears. It allows you to visualize the whole store products virtually. You can feel the fabric and color of the cloth which lets you decide if you want to purchase the product or not. Such devices can help to hike your customer engagement and let your store flaunt their best items.
- Less Time Consuming
By utilizing such devices it allows the customers to explore more products along with saving a whole bunch of time. When you give more options to the customers in less time, it is likely expected that they end up buying more than their wishlists which ultimately raises the store profit. With less time and more profit earnings, the e-commerce store owners are going to explore more of the VR devices and future innovations.
- Virtual Dressing Room
The artificial intelligence has come up with a new shopping experience by giving the facility of virtual showrooms at home. All the customer requirements are taken into consideration and given the variant shopping experience as per their ideas. The AR gives a next level satisfaction to the customer while shopping as all you are required to do is just go with the specific website or an application.
Enter the preferences and there you go — better customer engagement and experience. It allows visualizing the virtual clothes on you at your home anytime. This comes with an option to choose from a wide range of clothes and try on endlessly until you end up choosing your favorite one. This allows increasing customer satisfaction which will directly hike customer engagement.
Top Digital Marketing Agencies in January 2021 according to DesignRush
