Gamers get it. They have experienced augmented and virtual reality for a long time. In fact, in its early days, AR and VR were reserved for games without much consideration for any other uses.
But some innovators saw the future potential of this technology – far beyond gaming. And, gradually, AR and VR began to make inroads into e-commerce, as a means to give amazing experiences to consumers.
Here are several benefits of incorporating AR/VR experiences into an e-commerce website:
1. Convenience and Cost Savings
Visitors to a website that features AR or VR will have the convenience of shopping in a virtual environment. Consider the following experiences they can have:
- Businesses can present a virtual showroom of products which visitors can explore from home.
- Grocery shopping can be far more efficient. When a consumer can browse through the aisles of a store and look at items, they can then add those items to their lists for purchase and delivery. It allows them to see new products, items on special sales, etc. which they would not otherwise see.
- Eyeglass retailers with both websites and brick and mortar facilities can provide customers the opportunity to try on frames before coming into the store for their exams and prescriptions. They will already have their frame sections made, saving lots of time for both themselves and the business.
- Clothing retailers can give customers the ability to try on clothing before making purchasing decisions.
- When consumers can experience products before they buy, returns are far less likely. This is cost-saving for both the consumer and the company.
2. Consumer Immersion
Consider a resort that wants to showcase all of its amenities. By providing a virtual experience to shoppers through VR, they can move around through the hotel, the grounds, the golf course, pool, spa, etc. as if they were there in real time.
A type of augmented reality is also dawning that provides a more immersive experience that provides a bit of education along with an entertaining experience. While the augmented reality that not “place” a consumer in the “reality,” it does provide real-time experiences with a product. Travelers can take real-time virtual tours of places they are considering for vacations.
AR is also used in brick and mortar stores, as well. Wine companies have imbedded their stories in labels. Scanning with a smartphone will provide the customer with the story of how that wine was made from the grapevines in the fields through the aging process. Of course, that “virtual” tour can be provided by any online wine seller too. Restaurants can embed virtual tours of their kitchens, via their menus, showing a patron how a particular meal item is prepared. And the time is coming when consumers will go into dressing rooms, stand in front of a mirror, and virtually try on their selections.
In short, when customers can more fully interact with products before buying them, they are more inclined to buy. The experience alone can motivate them to make that purchase.
3. Follow the Lead of These E-Commerce Businesses
If you are wondering how you can incorporate AR and VR into your business, consider these examples. And now that the tools for creating these experiences are available to anyone, what’s stopping you?
IKEA
Folks who have purchased a new home or condo and who are looking to furnish it may have a difficult time visualizing how furniture will look in their new place. They can go online to the IKEA store and place the pieces in their rooms, moving them around, exchanging them out, and make purchasing decisions based upon what will be their best choices.
Sephora
Sephora Virtual Artist allows customers to experiment with different makeup looks. They can take a picture of themselves in the outfit they plan to wear and then match makeup colors and shades. Or, they can just try on all different makeup looks before they make purchases. The idea is that sales will increase and returns/refunds will decrease. And it’s just fun for women to access the site and “play.”
Tap Painter
This app allows customers to experiment with paint colors and shades for interior walls of their homes. Consumers can choose among popular paints (Behr, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, etc.) and “paint” their walls and see what the finished look will be.
The Challenge is Real – AR/VR No Longer an Option
In short, when customers can more fully interact with products before buying them, they are more inclined to buy. The experience alone can motivate them to make that purchase. E-commerce businesses that ignore this new technology will be left in the dust by their competitors. Consumers demand these experiences now, and it will be up to e-commerce businesses to meet that demand.