How AR/VR is taking over the Retail Industry

According to a report by Wikitude, approximately 32% of the shoppers use AR technology regularly and 73% of the smartphone AR users are highly satisfied with the experience. The figures are themselves proof of the fact that AR/VR has a great scope in Retail Industry.

Industry Analysis

The scope of AR/ VR in the retail industry could be understood by the problems that the traditional retail market faces, especially in a post-COVID 19 world. The retail industry has taken the worst hit in this pandemic, and even with the lockdown being lifted people are afraid to travel to physical locations to shop and hence they prefer shopping online. In fact many a time even if the customer takes the hassle of going to a physical store only to find that the products are out of stock and are not up to his expectations. Also, people will not be willing to try the product because these products are already tried by many people who might be exposed to the virus. Hence the whole purpose of a physical store will be defeated.

Role of AR

Augmented Reality has transformed the retail industry by easing out the whole trial process, there are virtual mirrors installed in the stores through which the customers can see if the product is looking good on them or not. Companies like Titan have even done this for jewelry products. Other examples include :

• Burberry which uses AR to assist its customers in making the right buying decision,
• IKEA that built “IKEA Place” in collaboration with Apple,
• Gap which created “DressingRoom” app so that users can try out dress on a virtual mirror,
• converse which launched “Converse Samter App” so that they can try out the shoes using a phone camera,
• L’Oreal which purchased ModiFace so that consumers can get a feel of their makeup through the front camera.

Role of VR in the industry

Since physical stores are facing stiff competition from the e-commerce platforms, hence there is a need for the offline stores to identify the gap that could only be bridged by technological solutions. So far we have seen the role of AR in building a vital solution for the retail owners. Let’s look at some of the work done in the VR industry. A brand called Toms Shoes installed Samsung VR headsets with a video in their stores. As the company planned to donate a part of every item sold, hence the video gives the consumer a hang of the people living in Peru and the happiness that they get when they see the shoes delivered to them. Other brands include Alibaba, which introduced a full VR shopping experience for the customers. eBay Australia presented an all-new shopping experience for their customers without creating physical stores and malls and by making personalized store that was based on what a consumer may like and prefer. They used Gear VR headset to create a store with 3D models and virtual tours for top items in their catalog list.

Let’s talk about the benefits of using technology in the retail industry:

• In-store experience for the people who do not just want the product but look at the whole experience of buying it.
• One can showcase a large number of products without having to worry about the space or costs involved.
• Such technology increases consumer engagement and creates a buzz on online and offline channels.
• In fact, it also contributes to higher brand awareness and helps the brand to lure the right kind of target audience thus turning them into potential customers.
• It results in a better ROI and also gives a brand a competitive advantage than the other brands with the same products. Thus for any new entrant in the market, AR/VR technology could be the go-to solution to enter into a highly competitive market.

How can we help?

We, at Atthah, have already helped a lot of brands to create a virtual experience for their customers to enjoy a seamless journey in dining, shopping, gaming, fitness, interaction. We are an emerging AR/VR solution providing company that has helped different companies, big or small, to create a cut-throat product.