AR and VR in service of eCommerce

You are at home, you turn on your laptop, type in the address in the search engine, find the desired product, order and ... done! The dynamic development of the eCommerce industry allows you to make a purchase in just a few minutes (or even seconds, if you know exactly what you are looking for). Convenience, time saving, unlimited access to products - sounds like a fairy tale? Yes, but... not really. Lack of physical experience means that often we cannot be as satisfied with purchases made online as in a stationary store. Will VR and AR technologies become the solution to this obstacle?

When a product does not meet your expectations - limitations of online shopping

It is clear that eCommerce is not free from certain disadvantages or limitations. The most significant drawback for consumers is a lack of direct interaction with the product. How many times have you sent clothes back because the size did not fit you? Have you ever ordered blinds for a window in a wrong size? Has the material you bought ever felt completely different than you expected? Have you ordered perfume online only to return it immediately because the smell was too overpowering? These situations happen all the time.

Online shopping is about convenience, time savings and a wide range of offers on one hand, and mistakes - a need to return and extended waiting times on the other. Are these barriers impossible to overcome? Taking into account how dynamically technology is developing nowadays, we should never give a definitive answer to this question. Especially when VR and AR (which should not be confused with each other) have been more and more widely mentioned in the last few years.

Escape to another world, or what VR gives us

A brand new, computer-generated, three-dimensional world and a device that allows you to travel experience and interact with it? Why not! We can jump into virtual reality (VR) thanks to special glasses, also built-in on the sides. Thanks to them, instead of watching the room we are in, we move to completely different places - both existing and invented. Through the images presented to us we freely explore virtual reality, looking around in every direction (unlimited field of vision). To feel the basic sensations it is enough to wear glasses, but technology is constantly advancing - nowadays you can also find headphones or special gloves that further stimulate the senses while exploring virtual reality created by special software.

Do you want to find yourself on a football field, in space, under the Eiffel Tower? Move to the reality of your favorite computer game? Realistically immerse yourself in a movie you know by heart? Nothing simpler! But entertainment is not everything. Very soon it turned out that VR technology can also be used in other areas: from learning at different levels of education to the eCommerce industry. But before we get to that, a few words about the second technology - AR.

Have you heard of Pokemon Go? Then you know what AR is

While virtual reality technology allows you to move into a new, computer-generated world, augmented reality (AR) connects the digital world to the real world. The technology provides the opportunity for digital visuals, sounds, and other sensory inputs to be superimposed on camera images - captured in real time - to enhance the experience. This time AR enriches the real world, rather than creating a new one.

It is worth noting that in order to use the possibilities of AR technology, all you need is a tablet or smartphone - there is no need for special glasses as in the case of VR, which is certainly important from the point of view of the average consumer. It's obvious that with the development of technology more specialized devices will appear, but certainly this ease of access (thanks to the possibility of using everyday devices) makes AR more attractive for consumers, and thus - more willingly used in eCommerce.

To the rescue of eCommerce: VR and AR

VR and AR seem to be ideal for companies who would like to stay ahead of their competition in terms of offering customers a better experience, comparable to a visit to a stationary store. Exploring products, their features and variants, as well as comparing and contrasting them are possible without leaving home. By breaking the barrier of physical limitations in this way, customers find it easier to make the right choice. This not only increases sales, but (which is also important) reduces the likelihood of returns or complaints, which facilitates the operation of the e-store.

What's more, technology allows you to increase brand awareness among consumers and create innovative marketing campaigns that not only capture your audience's attention, but are also able to influence buying behavior and decisions.

As statistics show, customers using AR and VR technologies are more interested in the offered product and more involved in the purchasing process. So when we observe the development of virtual and augmented reality, we can be sure that they will soon become standard tools in the service of eCommerce.

To be better than the competition - VR/AR examples

Among industries that first started using VR and AR technologies, we should undoubtedly mention furniture (including interior design). The leader in this area is IKEA, which has created a special application - IKEA Place. The possibility of a virtual transformation of the interior or adjusting furniture (three-dimensional and in real dimensions) from a store? Absolutely!

Modern technologies are also used in another area of eCommerce - the cosmetics industry. In this case, an example is the Sephora Virtual Artist application, where we can "try on make-up" before buying. All you have to do is upload your photo and then start testing - see which eye shadow will fit best or which lipstick color will look best on your lips.

Without leaving the subject, we can try on not only makeup, but also, for example, glasses, both correctional and sunglasses (technology used by Vision Express allows this - just select the frames, and then accept the use of a camera through the browser). If you can try on makeup or glasses, you can also test clothes, shoes and accessories! Thus, we can see how we will look in luxurious Dior glasses or check in which Converse sneakers we "feel" best.

Are VR and AR the future of eCommerce?

Modern times, and an extremely dynamic development of technology, provide online retailers with more and more tools to bring the shopping experience online closer to that of a visit to a stationary store. There is no denying that immersive technologies (affecting all the senses) are changing eCommerce, taking it to a whole new level. The benefits associated with this can be visible to a company at a glance. Are you interested in experiencing them, too?