The future of digital interaction is being shaped by the innovative applications of emerging technologies, with Augmented Reality (AR) as a significant player. While it’s still too early to understand the full potential of augmented reality, we can already start thinking about the possibilities it brings. In this blog post, we will explain what augmented reality is and explore the incredible practical ways it can enhance the retail industry.

What is Augmented Reality?

By now, many are familiar with Virtual Reality (VR), which is a digital artificial environment user experience with a dedicated headset and other complementary devices. In this technology, the user is disconnected from their real environment and experiences a digital space.

Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality is the integration of digital information mixed with the real-time environment of the user, meaning that the user is still involved and engaging with their reality but receives extra digital insights.

Augmented reality is already bringing many benefits in areas like medical training, remote work, education, and more. Imagine the countless things you can do by adding an extra digital layer over your daily real life, especially in retail.

How Can Augmented Reality Be Used in Retail?

The retail industry is already familiar with the combination of digital and physical environments, thanks to what’s called phygital shopping. Due to this fact, we believe the adoption of this technology in retail might be quite fast. Here are some possible ways the retail industry can use augmented reality:

Customer Experience

Obviously, augmented reality is a cool gimmick that people may come to experience, especially because it’s not like a mobile phone that everyone has, at least not at the moment. Hence, offering clients an augmented reality experience can attract people and create the wow effect.

For instance, imagine each client can take a pair of glasses at the entrance, put filters as they wish, and the glasses mark interesting items for them that might match their desires. This could be a category of items, color, size, formality, and more.

More than that, you can display images and videos of the products, their full description, or make comparisons between items. For example, imagine you pick up two mobile devices and look at them through the augmented reality glasses to see a comparison between the two in real time.

And of course, this could take endless aisles to the next level. You can look at the item and see additional colors, sizes, pieces that go well together, or similar products, all effortlessly and instantly.

Customized Products

Augmented reality could also be a convenient way to create customized products. The client can visualize exactly how the piece will look, and choose parts, colors, variations, and more.

For example, imagine entering a bridal store where the bride-to-be can customize her wedding dress exactly as she pictures it in her mind and make all the changes she wants before the data is transferred to the tailor for sewing.

Improved Customer Service

The use of augmented reality can offer better service to clients, and we know that good customer service leads to more sales. First, augmented reality can help translate in real time for the customer. This can be beneficial to tourists or simply people who prefer their second, stronger language. Additionally, imagine you can page the store employee for help in real time, or even better, have a digital assistant to support you.

Enhanced Data Collection and Analytics

No doubt augmented reality will do wonders for the customer experience, but it can also provide a deeper level of understanding of customer behavior and preferences for retailers.

With such technology, retailers can learn exactly how different customers interact with the store, with the products, and how they make decisions.

For example, what routes the customers take in the store, what they look at and for how long, what products catch their eyes, and more.

Of course, privacy concerns and requirements must be met to execute such data collection. However, this might transform the way retailers capture data and enhance their offerings based on real data.

In conclusion, the integration of augmented reality into the retail industry holds incredible potential to improve the customer experience, enhance product customization, upgrade customer service, and provide invaluable insights through data collection. As this technology continues to evolve, its applications will undoubtedly expand, offering retailers innovative ways to engage with their customers and optimize their operations.