Why is augmented reality important for eCommerce?
There are some brands whose name is synonymous with a category, who could never advertise, change their product, or actively connect with consumers, and they would still make money. Those brands are few and far between, elusive to even some of the biggest brands in the world, who while long time dominant players, still face competition and a need to remain relevant.
For the majority of brands, the ability to compete for recognition, reputation, and revenue has required expanding beyond creating products, even beyond creating quality products, to include building a brand based on experience and knowledge that enhances the customers’ product experience.
There have been many creative examples of brands delivering value through their wide network of channels and digital offerings, but one of the most effective across brands and industries has turned out to be the use of augmented reality. While many still associate the technology largely with gaming and social media lenses, AR for eCommerce has proven to be a valuable, driving as much as 94% higher conversions compared to products not enabled with an AR experience.
The potential for augmented reality in marketing and ecommerce is just beginning to be realized, but there are a handful of brands who have taken the lead. Learn more about five brands (and a few others) that have put AR to the test and seen significant returns in their eCommerce business.
5 Brands Using AR for eCommerce
Wayfair/IKEA
Two different brands, but as the most notable early adopters of AR for commerce, Wayfair and IKEA have built their own solutions and paved the way for augmented reality to become a central component of ecommerce.
While IKEA has garnered plenty of attention for its IKEA Place experience, Wayfair has taken the next step in leveraging 3D and AR within their shopping tools to help customers make the best purchase decision.
Building their own solution in house, Wayfair has rolled out not only the ability for users to view furniture and decor in their own space using AR, but an added feature known as Room Planner which allows shoppers to view and manipulate possible room configurations with the products they are shopping for.
As described by the Wayfair team, “we create delight by breaking some rules of the real world by allowing the user to do or see things that are only available with AR...the experience defies physics to rise into view from the surface they are anchored to, such as chairs rising from beneath the floor, or chandeliers growing out of the ceiling.”
L'Oreal
We have mentioned the beauty mammoth before, and for good reason. L’Oreal has leveraged AR across multiple campaigns and buying experiences, and driven returns for all. Their in-house solution, ModiFace, has been so successful that brands and retailers such as Amazon, Rimmel, and Revlon have licensed the technology for their own use in the beauty space. Metrics across these brands have shown increased time spent on site, as well as fewer refunds and higher conversions when compared to products not enabled with virtual try on.
The Sheet Society
The average person spends 26 years of their life asleep, so it makes sense that many consumers take care in choosing what they sleep on. With this in mind, The Sheet Society has elevated its in store and ecommerce offerings by integrating the two experiences, delivering an exceptional journey for first time and repeat buyers.
Shoppers online can view products in the Bed Builder, showing how Sheet Society’s products will look on their bed. Buyers can order straight from the website, or visit a store where associates can show them their desired patterns and textiles in person.
In store shoppers can also take advantage of augmented reality, by having an associate pre-load a Shopify cart with products they are interested in and emailing the customer the selections to view at home.
The results are telling. The Sheet Society increased its customer retention rate to 24%, and drove a 50% store conversion rate with their integrated experiences.
1-800-Flowers
There are several brands who excel at delivering flowers directly to consumers, but only one has added augmented reality to the mix. Launched first with a collaboration with designer Jason Wu, the company has continued to roll out collections that allow customers to view their bouquet before they make a purchase.
Whether the shopper is looking for a perfect fit for their own home, or determining the right size to send to someone else, AR adds a compelling element to the purchase experience, while also increasing customer satisfaction and confidence in purchase.
How to Get Started With AR for Commerce
With some of the world’s most well known brands leveraging the power of AR, it is no surprise that many are interested in creating an augmented reality experience of their own. While building an AR solution from scratch gives brands and retailers creative freedom, it also requires a great deal of time and resources.
Instead, brands who want to efficiently and effectively use AR for their marketing and ecommerce efforts are turning to partners like Dopple to bring their products to life through high fidelity 3D and AR.
Designed for fidelity and performance, Dopple 3D and AR delivers life-like models in immersive settings, built on clients’ existing tech stack. The result is an easy to build, easy to maintain, and truly impressive experience that thrills buyers and drives results. See for yourself in our demo gallery or contact us for more information.
Ready to add AR to your brand? Let’s talk.
