Many retailers are fighting for their business and online retail seems to be growing unstoppably. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get visitors into the shop. But the retail sector must not be allowed to die due to cost structures, jobs and the like! Augmented reality in shops is one way of making a shop visitor more attractive.
What options are there?
Augmented reality is already widely used in e-commerce, but AR in shops is rarely considered. In-store experiences, from AR games to virtual fitting rooms, can be a magnet for visitors. Here is an overview of AR projects in the retail sector:
1. Gamification
If you have a physical shop, an AR game is a great incentive to visit a shop and see what you have to offer.
To play, we recommend a web solution. All you have to do is scan a QR code and the experience starts on your smartphone.
AR images then appear on the phone screen, superimposed over the real image of your shop. If you’ve ever played Pokemon Go, you’ll know what we’re talking about.
This option is well suited, especially if the target group is children.
2. Big Screens
Similar to gamification, big screens are another way to attract more customers into the shop. However, a larger free area is required for big screens.
A camera and screen are installed in which shop visitors can see themselves as if in a mirror. Meanwhile, you can interact with virtual objects. The important thing is always the meaningfulness or the storytelling behind it, which must fit your industry.
To encourage customers to take part, competitions or contests are always very popular.
3. Virtual Try On
Virtual Try On is a perfect opportunity for more engagement in the store. Within minutes you can try on a variety of shoes, for example, without the hassle of putting on and taking off different models. The favourites can of course still be tried on physically to test the fit briefly. Apart from shoes, many companies in the beauty industry use this solution for make-up.
However, AR Virtual Try On in shops is an excellent way to bridge the waiting time for a personal consultation.
Zara has even gone one step further. With the help of innovative AR technology, you can even experience entire outfits virtually:
4. In-Store Navigation
By integrating in-store navigation into the shopping experience, customers can find what they are looking for without wasting time.
Retailers have several technology platforms at their disposal to implement navigation in shopping centres and shops. The Mall of America, Harrod’s and Target have used beacon technology for indoor navigation and proximity marketing.
One solution, for example, is to use in-store Wi-Fi access points to triangulate a shopper’s location. This method is practical as shops usually have Wi-Fi networks installed for staff and customers to access the internet.
In 2014, Apple developed a Wi-Fi-based mapping programme that is offered in shopping centres and retail shops in many countries. As the locations of offers and product displays were uploaded to servers, customers were able to find their own location and navigate to the desired products. Multi-storey buildings made the process more complicated, but it still worked. Google launched its own service and mapped the locations of IKEA, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and other major retailers.
Costs, benefits?
Of course, the question always arises as to how much it costs and what the benefits are. The most important thing for AR in retail is to consider which target group you want to address.
Experience has shown that AR is particularly popular with younger audiences. Properly advertised, more shop visitors are almost guaranteed. An effective concept for this is “user-generated content“.
It is of course difficult to make a generalised statement about the costs given the wide range of options. A big screen experience with 3D models, interaction and more could be realised at Mazing, for example, from €3000.00.
Virtual fitting rooms are usually charged according to monthly usage. With us, you can realise this from as little as €19.00 per month.
