If there is one thing we can take away from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is that retailers are becoming ever more reliant on their e-commerce sites to engage with and win over customers. As such, they are increasingly turning to augmented reality and 3D to boost consumer confidence in buying. As sellers consider their options, it’s crucial to prioritise strategy, adaptability, and performance accountability to ensure immersive solutions are poised for long-term growth.
As part of the process, many retailers are opting to launch 3D and AR, which have the potential to overcome shoppers’ reservations about buying items they haven’t inspected or tried in person. The interactivity and detail offered by such systems gives the shopper ownership of the buying experience online and removes the imagination gap in the purchase decision.
In order to set the stage of maximum return on investment, choosing the right technology and strategy will be crucial. As such, retailers should consider these questions before implementing AR and 3D options.
Are we getting a feature or solution?
Retailers should be on the lookout for technology that doesn’t simply add 3D and AR assets to an app, but serves as the foundation for broad end-to-end deployment. Multi-touchpoint capability should come hand-in-hand with strategic understanding of how best to use it in service of individual retailers’ needs and constraints.
Will the right experience be offered to the right user?
While it may be easy enough to convert assets into AR that works for iPhones, but then, what about the Android users? Sellers need technology to swiftly detect the user’s device and browser and optimise the experience in alignment with the specifications of consumer devices. Additionally, mobile commerce still accounts for less than half of all online revenue, which means retailers hoping leverage AR and 3D must find ways to convince consumers to shop via full-fledged PCs or laptops.
How will we know it works?
Launching a new offering or feature is not all that hard. Proving that it had a direct impact on sales is. As the customer journey becomes more circuitous, tracking how touchpoints interact to drive purchase decisions has become more challenging. According to Rob Weaver, Chief Revenue Officer at Vertebrae, regarding immersive commerce, retailers should learn from past missteps and demand performance accountability from the get-go.
Overall, we cannot just assume that 3D and AR are a fix-all solution to counter the pandemic. They are a part of an immersive commerce revolution that is fundamentally changing the way consumers shop.
As part of the process, many retailers are opting to launch 3D and AR, which have the potential to overcome shoppers’ reservations about buying items they haven’t inspected or tried in person. The interactivity and detail offered by such systems gives the shopper ownership of the buying experience online and removes the imagination gap in the purchase decision.
In order to set the stage of maximum return on investment, choosing the right technology and strategy will be crucial. As such, retailers should consider these questions before implementing AR and 3D options.
Are we getting a feature or solution?
Retailers should be on the lookout for technology that doesn’t simply add 3D and AR assets to an app, but serves as the foundation for broad end-to-end deployment. Multi-touchpoint capability should come hand-in-hand with strategic understanding of how best to use it in service of individual retailers’ needs and constraints.
Will the right experience be offered to the right user?
While it may be easy enough to convert assets into AR that works for iPhones, but then, what about the Android users? Sellers need technology to swiftly detect the user’s device and browser and optimise the experience in alignment with the specifications of consumer devices. Additionally, mobile commerce still accounts for less than half of all online revenue, which means retailers hoping leverage AR and 3D must find ways to convince consumers to shop via full-fledged PCs or laptops.
How will we know it works?
Launching a new offering or feature is not all that hard. Proving that it had a direct impact on sales is. As the customer journey becomes more circuitous, tracking how touchpoints interact to drive purchase decisions has become more challenging. According to Rob Weaver, Chief Revenue Officer at Vertebrae, regarding immersive commerce, retailers should learn from past missteps and demand performance accountability from the get-go.
Overall, we cannot just assume that 3D and AR are a fix-all solution to counter the pandemic. They are a part of an immersive commerce revolution that is fundamentally changing the way consumers shop.
