Beyond Picachu: augmented reality in eCommerce

Numerous news stories about gaming and global hunting were found in the media after Shiggy, Glumanda and Co., which have brought augmented reality back into the spotlight. There is constant talk about the technical revolution it has brought about when the technology behind Pokémon Go is not new at all. Augmented reality theory has been used in the industry since the early 1990s. But it must be acknowledged that Nintendo games have succeeded in bringing extended reality to the general public and making it universally accessible via smartphone or tablet

Naturally, the potential of this custom software development services in marketing is enormous. In recent years, interesting proposals have emerged, especially in the e-commerce sector, from online decoration stores to webcam glasses testers. In view of the rise of augmented reality, the industry should not hesitate to follow these ideas, since taking advantage of the hype and the current predisposition of users towards this new technology, companies have options to expand their clientele.

What is augmented reality

“Augmented reality” (AR), we also often speak of mixed reality or expanded reality to refer to this technique, which consists of expanding the perception of the physical world through the use of computing. It should not be confused with virtual reality, in which the user is immersed in a completely digital world, while in augmented reality digital content is added to physical reality, expanding it, for example, with:

the visual representation in the real world of additional information,

the inclusion of additional information in images or videos,

the overlaying of virtual objects.

Merge real and digital elements

Virtual objects in a real environment? A very simple example known to many is offered by sports broadcasts, where, on the screen, additional information regarding the game is displayed. Today it is easier to determine if there was an offside or not thanks to the lines and distances that are marked digitally on the image. In ski jumping championships a digital line is drawn to show whether the jumper overtook the leader or not.

To experience augmented reality while moving using mobile devices, it is necessary to have an integrated camera, tracking technology (GPS) and the necessary software. Its areas of application are numerous, including, for example, in industry, as a means of support in work and complex applications, in military or disaster management, in architecture or in medicine. However, it has been from the entertainment industry that this technology has been brought closer to the general public. Naturally, advertising has long recognized this trend as well.

A new boost to online marketing

In the field of marketing it has long been discovered that, properly applied, augmented reality components represent added value for the user . And, given the increasing difficulty of establishing effective contact with potential customers and maintaining their loyalty, new ideas are very necessary and very welcome. This is due, among other things, to the avalanche of advertising messages that flood consumers' routines daily. Little by little, a kind of defensive attitude towards advertising develops, which in the online sector is already known as banner blindness . And that is without forgetting that today the figure of the regular customer has almost disappeared. Given the enormous variety of stores, offers, bargains and discounts, loyalty barely plays a role in the consumer habits of the majority of users today. You buy where you find the best offer.

The competition is, consequently, fiercer every day. That is why it is so important to offer innovative and eye-catching formats that awaken the curiosity of consumers and at the same time offer real added value regardless of the sector. This is where augmented reality comes into play.

As the graph below shows, almost half of the estimated potential of virtual and augmented reality is in the leisure sector, while for businesses and the public sector a VR and AR market volume is predicted to exceed 16 billion dollars.

How consumers perceive augmented reality

Augmented reality combines the real physical world and digital elements , producing a special fascination, which is precisely the factor that makes some advertising strategies remembered over others. However, in addition to the attention that is achieved by the innovative nature of augmented reality, new paths of direct contact with the customer are also opened , since the brand or custom software development company thus has the possibility of projecting information in real time into life. client's daily life. This represents a great opportunity to get in touch with your target audience even more immediately and personally in the future.

What makes customers consent to this entry into their daily lives? Well, it is precisely that they can make a profit, that it is useful, as the following examples in the electronic commerce sector show.

Augmented reality in eCommerce

Online stores can use the principle of mixed reality to optimize customer experience. Mobile devices have an important role to play here, as consumers increasingly shop and browse products from their smartphones or tablets. When it comes to searching for information on the web, mobile phones have long surpassed desktop computers. In short, mobile terminals reach more target audiences, indicating that mobile e-commerce and augmented reality will continue to co-exist in the future.

One of the applications of augmented reality in eCommerce that is already part of the classics is the so-called “ virtual fitting room ”, a digital simulator that, using the device's camera, allows users to know how the selected items feel on them on their own. figure or his face. This tool has, however, a weak point and that is that, due to an erroneous representation of the sizes, the virtual pieces do not appear natural.

In the case of accessories, on the other hand, this principle works especially well, as demonstrated by online optical stores. The operation of these “ 3D testers ” is so simple that the user only has to authorize access to the device's webcam. Once the image is saved, the application places the favorite items on the digital representation of the photographed face.

Another sector where augmented reality finds application is home decoration and furniture sales. Already in 2013 IKEA began experimenting with this technique. In fact, it is not surprising that the Swedish company, known for an innovative and creative line of marketing, was one of the first to do so. The basic idea is the following: users project pieces of furniture from the current catalog to scale in the living room of their home , in such a way that they can check if the armchair or side table that has caught their attention has the expected effect on them. the real space of your house.

Augmented reality is here to stay

Many voices in the digital sector define augmented reality as the marketing trend of the coming years . Studies such as “Global Augmented Reality Market 2014-2018” carried out by the market research company TechNavio promise a fruitful future for mixed reality in all sectors, seeing its fields of application extended, mainly due to the rise of mobile devices. and the increase in applications and games designed to work with this technology. However, our country is still a few steps behind in the use of mixed reality, especially if we compare it internationally with other regions such as the United States or the East.  

Given the variety of application options, augmented reality has great potential, especially in specialized fields and niche markets. There are many fields in which this technique can be applied and after the entertainment sector has paved the way with applications such as Pokémon Go, the economic advantages of the software development service are yet to come . Everything indicates that augmented reality will increasingly find integration into existing systems, creating new forms of advertising.