AR Commerce
The problem in one sentence : Offline businesses are struggling.
This is not a recent phenomenon - the “retail apocalypse” had already begun in the 2010s. A financial crisis had reduced spending. Malls were seeing less footfalls. E-commerce had picked up exponentially.
Business Insider termed this “The Amazon Effect”, which favoured online retail heavily. The current pandemic seems to be the final blow. The estimated number of store closures due to the pandemic and ensuing recession will exceed 2019's record of 9,302 [Coresight study].
As a last resort, when these struggling businesses finally decide to come online, their individual products are lost in the 2-dimensional, flat experience that current e-commerce websites provide. The customer’s first moment in a store, the decor that reflected the brand, the music that enhanced the experience - all these details are deleted. On sites like Amazon, all brands are suddenly equal. This is not a good scenario. Well-known brands might sail onward because customers know and understand them, but an entirely new brand automatically becomes just another name and nothing more.
After all, stores weren’t just places where buying and selling took place - they were a form of communication for the brand, too. That is the biggest loss.
What’s the solution?
Bring the stores, with the brand experience, to the customers.
E-commerce sites have perfected the art of bringing the products to the customers’ doorstep. With almost no shipping delays, no damage, and the best possible price. What they haven’t perfected is delivering the brand experience.
Imagine a way to communicate that. Delivering the brand experience, digitally, personalised to individual customers. The technology already exists - and it’s waiting to be used.
The product : Digital storefronts using Augmented Reality [AR]
A virtual store using AR to mirror all the in-store experiences.
What can be virtualised?
- The environment - the first impression of a store, it’s ambience, decor, music, product display and arrangement, advertisements.
- The interaction - customers can experience the products, touch them to get product details, compare two products visually as well as with data, try them virtually (clothing, makeup, jewelry, etc)
- The brand itself - Are you a high-end retailer catering to the super rich? Or do you want to be as accessible as possible to everyone? These are subtle things which are best communicated when we personalise your store exactly as you wish to be seen.
| The features | Value for Businesses | Value for Customers |
|---|---|---|
| Digital storefront |
|
Stores more accessible than ever before |
|
Augmented reality mirrors the store experience (decor, music, ambience, carting and checkout) |
|
A more immersive shopping experience than on any current “shopping website” |
| Voice-based search and other commands | Products visible to the customer the moment they speak | Ease of navigation |
| Uses mobile devices | 63% of customers use their mobile phones for research and purchase | |
| Purchase data | Measurable business metrics, allowing for profit-oriented action | Customers get personalised experience based on their shopping habits |
| Virtually trying on products | Eliminates customer indecisiveness (great for jewellery, accessories, clothing, makeup, even décor elements.) | Customers can make more informed and certain decisions. |
Looking to increase your sales by providing an immersive shopping experience? Reach out to us.
