Over the years, the retail industry has been lush for an overhaul, specifically, E-commerce and online shopping. Even before the Corona pandemic hit, the retail space was continuously evolving and revolutionizing its operations. The pandemic revved up the move to digital shopping by around five years. Potential customers now favor the convenience of online shopping over visiting actual stores. Conventional shopping from physical stores has witnessed a decline in its business due to the pandemic. Brick and mortar stores experienced a loss in business and revenue. Many stores shut down or moved a majority of their operations online. Even though brick and motor stores will eventually open back up, they are sure to face extreme obstacles when or if they decide to resume. As a result, customer loyalty is shifting and declining, and while stores offer incentives such as discounts and offers, the real goal is personalization.

However, online shopping is not without its faults. Retailers and shop owners often receive returned goods because of different reasons. From the wrong sized product to damaged goods, or differences in the product selling products online has its challenges. Returns cost retailers a considerable amount of revenue. We can effortlessly fix these challenges using augmented reality (AR)and virtual reality (VR). Using augmented reality in retail shopping is an innovative way to increase conversions in retail stores. The novelty and excitement of virtual reality space and augmented reality will attract more clients. Social media in collaboration with augmented reality will also reduce product returns since it contains revolutionary try-on features. Here are a few examples of how virtual and augmented reality will reshape the retail industry.

3D Products

Putting physical products as products can potentially revolutionize the retail sale of clothes, accessories, apparel, or home appliances. IKEA has incorporated AR into its retail business. You can scan your room, and the program assists the client in visualizing the furniture within your scanned space. The client picks out the furniture, points the AR device in the area they want it placed and adjusts the position accordingly. This feature is a fantastic example of the AR experience in retail. product rendering is a phenomenal investment because it increases the retail advertising strategy and campaigns, reduces the number of returned products, and provides clients with a realistic rendering of how the product will appear outside the screen and before purchase.

Virtual Fitting Rooms

Virtual fitting rooms are revolutionizing the way people purchase products. There are some virtual fitting rooms where clients can upload their images and create an online avatar to see which products are a great fit. Similarly, in brick and motor stores, retailers incorporate augmented reality into the client shopping experience. Customers are required to stand in front of a mirror and try-on different outfits by swiping. With social distancing becoming the norm, virtual fitting rooms will grow even more over the coming years. Major corporations, such as GAP and Timberlands, have already incorporated virtual fitting rooms into their shopping experience. Other principal players in the fashion world have followed this trend, mainly the try-before you purchase features.

Try-On Feature

Try-on features are becoming more and more essential in the retail business. The try-on feature is changing retail, from trying on engagement rings to furniture or clothes, this augmented reality feature is taking the market by storm. Companies like L’Oral uses augmented reality in their apps and products. The L’Oral Style My Hair App lets clients pick new hairstyles and hair colors. The app also contains tracking features that let clients move around to see how the hair looks. AR-equipped virtual beauty apps allow customers to try out makeup and view how it would look on them. The beauty industry is also heavily investing in AR and VR technology to attract new tech-savvy clients, boost its sales and give personalized advice to its clients.

In-Store Navigation

Research indicates that more than half of consumers crave technology that reduces the amount of time they spend navigating around a store. As a retailer, you can make their shopping experience quicker and less work by introducing AR. Real-time navigation in retail will have a tremendous effect on the consumer experience. Lowe’s, a major retail chain, introduced In-store navigation. It developed an application letting its clients navigate its store searching for products. Clients can also create shopping lists using the store’s inventory, and the in-store navigation can guide them to these products with their details.

AR in Warehouse Management

AR is not only advantageous when dealing with clients. Warehouses are a significant part of the retail industry and supply chain. Therefore, warehouse management should run smoothly for the smooth run of the retail process. Incorporating AR into warehouse management has tremendous effects on inventory, order allocation, and pick-ups and makes the whole process simpler. AR helps workers to manage everything hands-free making inventory management uncomplicated and quicker. AR can also assist in order picking. The conventional method where workers move around a warehouse looking for orders is time tasking. Using smart glasses and AR, workers can swiftly identify orders and guide the sending of the package to the proper location.

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