Web AR In Retail: How Augmented Reality Brings Your Business to Life

Web-based Augmented reality (AR) is a simulated interactive experience of a real-world environment, viewable on any standard iOS or Android device camera. WebAR in retail enables the consumer to interact with products and services in a fun and helpful way without the need to download an app to experience. Customers can use their device’s camera to “see” and interact with the world around them with a brand-related experience.

The Potentials of Web AR in Retail

Augmented reality in retail has unlimited potential to attract new customers and boost sales. There are millions of dollars invested today in AR projects by the biggest IT companies, examples including Google, Apple, Snapchat, and Facebook. Analysts have estimated that in 2020, the AR market is valued at more than 18.8 billion dollars.

What Are the Benefits of Augmented Reality for Retailers?

In today’s advanced age, customers are technically savvy and have grown even more demanding for digital resources. Businesses must find new and easier ways to engage these new customers. Web AR in retail provides an array of benefits for marketing, sales, and brand awareness.

1. Web AR offers customers an interactive experience

In the marketing of yesterday, marketers alone created content, and this content was king. Today, Augmented Reality, with just a scan, allows customers to interact with the business and its available products in a uniquely personal way. The customer becomes not only a consumer of content but a creator of content.

2. WebAR enables customers to customize their experience

Unique AR features allow users to personalize the color and style of their preferred product. Let’s say a store offers a blouse in multiple colors online but only carries it in blue in their brick and mortar store. Their customers can come in, try on the blue blouse, and then use AR to see themselves in the same blouse but in different colors.

In fact, the customers don’t even need to try on the blouse in real life. They can have a completely virtual experience from the comfort of their home, where AR overlays different clothing options onto their reflection in a mirror. Your customers can try on clothes without actually trying on clothes!

3. Web AR bridges the gap between digital and print

Contrary to popular belief, experts say print products will not disappear but instead will adapt with the assistance of AR.  This medium will create an enriched storytelling experience for readers and provide new streams of profit for businesses. Printed media and AR in retail is a two-way street, with each promoting the other.

For instance, the New Yorker recently introduced cartoons in augmented reality. Their readers can bring inanimate objects to life through their AR experience. And this isn’t the New Yorker’s first use of AR.  Readers enjoyed interacting with animated AR models of the front and back covers of their magazines so much that the brand is expanding its use of AR in every facet.

4. Web-AR enables businesses to tackle language barriers

Companies hoping to expand into international markets around the world have to face language barriers, which takes time, effort, and money to be resolved. But WebAR makes is simple.

AR helps companies meet this challenge by offering wide language options with a click of a button. One example is the Google translate AR mode which provides text in more than 40 different languages to users. All the user has to do is activate AR mode, point their device’s camera at the foreign words, and their device will display the scene, but in the user’s native language. It’s pretty amazing!

Small business owners can take advantage of this same technology when targeting different cultural markets.

Web AR assists users in making purchase decisions

Using Web AR in retail for marketing increases the likelihood that customers will buy a product or service from a business. AR possesses the “cool factor” that grabs customers’ attention. AR features also encourage customers to interact more with the brand and products they want to buy, making it easier to make a purchase decision.

In Summary

WebAR in retail creates a lot of opportunity to engage customers. Whether you provide a service or product, have a brick-and-mortar or are online, WebAR in retail can take your business to the next level. if you're interested in implementing AR into your retail store, get in touch with the Aircards team.