Top Ways How You can Use 3D and AR Technologies to Transform Your Retail Business

Over these years, online shopping has been achieving a ‘mobile’ makeover with shoppers increasingly using their phones to perform researches and purchase products online. According to measurement firm Comscore, mobile-based activities contribute to almost 75 percent of the time that users spend online with retailers. Notably, at present, more than one out of four transactions are performed through mobile devices and this is a constantly growing number. No wonder why online retailers are investing more to enhance mobile- commerce experiences so as to convert mobile browsers into buyers.

The advent of 3D designs and Augmented Reality (AR) and their advanced use in mobile-commerce are redefining how customers interact with brands. With stats indicating that 92 percent of shoppers choose 3D and VR-based environments over traditional Ecommerce platforms that feature images and videos, retailers have started putting major focus on the delivery of rich 3D and AR experiences through their promotional campaigns that are designed for both Ecommerce and M-commerce platforms.

With the perfect deployment of 3D and AR technologies, retailers can instill better purchase experiences and allow customers to feel how the products would relate to them personally. The application of sophisticated 3D and AR-based Ecommerce tools that allow customers to evaluate fit and style is a revolutionary step in the modern Ecommerce landscape.

So exactly how would retailers benefit from the deployment of 3D product modeling and AR technologies in their mobile platforms?

Previously, the only way to distribute AR content was through standalone apps. Today, 3D and AR effects can be directly integrated in desktop and mobile browsers, which means businesses do not need to take the trouble of asking customers to download mobile apps. The improves reach by making the experiences available to a larger audience base and by enabling content sharing through social media networks. This is crucial given the fact that 49 percent of online traffic generates from mobile browsers while the number is just 5% in case of mobile apps.Add paragraph text here.

When businesses design 3D and AR Ecommerce experiences for both mobile and desktop browsers, they can easily repurpose their 3D assets to use them on various social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook.

Here’s how 3D renderings and AR technologies are giving a sophisticated makeover to retail and here’s how you can use these technologies to deliver an enriched customer experience:

• Evaluate Products Using their 3D Models: You can use AR apps of companies to virtually try out products to check if they would fit you. Lacoste launched its LCST Lacoste AR app to allow its customers to virtually try on its shoes and since its launch, as many as 30,000 customers have used this app and interacted with its products. Similarly, Sephora created a Modiface virtual artist app that allowed users to evaluate how a makeup would appear on their faces.

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• Visualize 3D Products and Judge if they would Suit Your Indoor Spaces:  In-store evaluations may not be adequate for consumers to find out if a particular product would match the look and feel of their homes. To address this challenge and to allow customers to make wiser purchase decisions, businesses can design apps to allow customers to check how a product would look in their homes before they decide to pay for it. Magnolia Market collaborated with the AR team of Shopify and developed an app that allowed its consumers to check if a certain item would complement the overall appeal of their homes. Home Depot launched its Project Color app in 2015, allowing users to check if a certain paint color complemented the look of the room. This technology takes into consideration factors such as shadows, lighting, and objects, thereby allowing users to get a realistic feel of how the paint color would appear in a particular wall or room.

• Get Access to In-Store Information: Research indicates that 60 percent of customers check product prices and information using their mobile phones in retail outlets. The use of product 3D modeling and AR technology can help customers get in-depth information about products that are available in a particular store. Clothing store American Apparel created a classic example in this regard by introducing an AR app that allowed shoppers to scan signs, find product information, color options, pricing, and reviews. Shoppers can also watch videos of models sporting American Apparel clothing and can even send products to their friends.

• Make Use of Virtual Fitting Rooms: Fitting room queues may deter individuals from trying out clothes and shoes, which, in turn, increases the probability of returns or may even decrease the probability of sales. Topshop collaborated with AR Door and created a virtual fitting room for shoppers in their Moscow-based store. The technology required shoppers to stand in front of a camera to check how an attire would look on their bodies without having to try them out in actuality.

• Boost Brand Awareness: The use of AR to promote your brand is still an innovative and modern step that most companies are yet to embrace. For example, Airwalk used geolocation and AR to create an invisible pop-up shop to promote the reintroduction of the Airwalk Jim. Shoppers were required to download the app and visit a virtual pop-up store in order to make a purchase.

So what next? Using AR in your business operations and branding just to keep up with modern trends won’t serve your purpose. You should evaluate how 3D and AR technologies would contribute to your overall, long-term brand strategy. That way, you will be able to make the most out of your investment.