Rising demand for augmented reality in retail and e-commerce | Infosys BPM

Rising demand for augmented reality in retail and e-commerce

With artificial intelligence, technology can measure rooms in our homes with great accuracy. If this data were available live while we were shopping for furniture in a retail store, and we could watch which furniture fit our idea of home décor, then voila! Consider a scenario while buying high end clothing online. If we were able to critically evaluate the fit, style and colour of choice, wouldn’t that drive a high value purchase?

Augmented Reality (AR) is changing the retail and e-commerce environments. According to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, with the COVID-19 pandemic came a boost of $183 billion for e-commerce because online portals were the main source of shopping for several consumers. So, after the Covid-19 pandemic, it made sense for brands to drive sales using AR to provide customers a realistic solution with detailed and complete information, from the comfort of their homes.

AR is an alternative way of seeing the natural world. It uses digital components in layers on a live view, as the examples above indicate, with devices like mobile phones. Sensory elements like sound and 3-dimensional objects offer enhanced perception, giving customers an understanding of the product, as closely as they would, if they were in front of it, in a store.

An AR system has three main features

So, by making customers “try on” products before buying them, e-commerce companies can make them experience products digitally.

Ideally, e-commerce companies can and should engage customers using AR at various stages of a customer journey, each time progressively providing digital layers of heightened sensory perceptions from awareness through to the buying and advocacy of the product.

Data around AR in retail e-commerce

How e-commerce businesses are using AR

Benefits of AR in retail commerce

Retail e-commerce will use a lot more AR once the technology embeds itself deeper into the market. This creates a realistic experience for customers with tangible benefits for the business. Established brands have incorporated AR to improve shopping experiences. Today’s e-commerce businesses must explore and adopt this technology into their business to grow and thrive in the future.

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