Do Product Previews Really Lead to Purchases [new research]

According to a recent Retail Dive survey, 55% of consumers still prefer to shop in-store because they enjoy seeing or testing products before you buy them.

But if consumers could see or try products practically from home, would they still need to visit the store before making a purchase?

This question was asked by companies like Amazon , Warby Parker and IKEA who have adopted the opinions on RA products. With these previews, e-commerce visitors can see an item of clothing in a photo of their body, preview what the furniture will look like in their bedroom, and even take a look.sizing to make sure they are buying a product with the best fit.

But is this virtual experience really as effective as a traditional store or a fitting room in getting people to buy?

Skeptics might say no. Because AR is expensive to implement and product views only require a physical store location, many marketers believe this technology is not worth the effort.

However, as the world becomes more and more digital, each new generation is shopping even more online. They are also adopting technologies like AR / VR for entertainment or retail purposes .

Not to mention that while holidays like Black Friday cause an increase in foot traffic, retail businesses find it.No more eager to keep people in the stores for the rest of the year.

While AR may have been inaccessible to retail marketers in the past, could it be an opportunity to generate income in the near future?

To determine if augmented reality was actually a beneficial marketing technology, I surveyed 300 consumers about their experiences with AR product previews using Lucid survey software .

In the survey, consumers were asked, "Have you ever bought a product (like furniture or clothing) after seeing an augmented reality preview of what it would look like? in real life? "

Since the technology is still fairly new, you can expect consumers to say that they have never used an AR Product Preview. However, you might be wondering if those who have used a Product Preview AR have actually converted.

If you think the general population has not used this new retail technology, you might be surprised at the result below.

Data source: Lucid

According to the survey, 52% of consumers have purchased at least one item after seeing an AR preview of how it looks in real life. Over 30% of this group have purchased multiple products after previewing them with AR.

So what does this mean for small and medium retailers ?

Naturally, you may not be able to afford AR technology to showcase your products just yet. However, the fact that more and more brands are using this feature to influence buying decisions means that technology and personalized digital marketing tactics such asIt's likely that AR previews will become more important.

Just because you can't afford AR now, that doesn't mean you won't be able to take advantage of it in the future. As augmented reality becomes more important and valuable to businesses, AR e-commerce tools could become more accessible or competitively priced. This is a theme that we have seen with the influence of artificial intelligence.

While technology was expensive and inaccessible to small and medium businesses in the beginning, there are now a number of built-in tools that marketers and businesses can leverage.

Even if you may not take advantage of the latest marketing technology today, it is still important to monitor how other retailers are using it - especially if they are selling products in a category similar to vours.

Below I will walk you through some AR strategies that are effectively benefiting retailers now, or could be a vital marketing tactic in the future:

3 Strategies AR product marketing plans to watch in 2020

Mobile Previews on Ecommerce Sites

With this strategy, a mobile ecommerce website visitor can find a product that interests them , open a camera with the press of an AR preview button, and then see what the product - like furniture - will look like in the room it's in. Ecommerce platforms also allow me prospects to see what an accessory like glasses will look like. If a customer likes what they see in an AR preview, they can exit the preview and make a purchase without setting foot in a store.

With the increase in mobile e-commerce, this strategy allowsvisitors to experience a product via mobile search or app, visit an eCommerce site, get a feel for what it looks like in real life, then buy it smoothly wherever it is. It also eliminates the main points of friction that could interrupt a purchase, such as going to the store or not finding a product of the right size or color in a physical store.

At the moment, we're already seeing companies like IKEA, Home Depot and Amazon adopt AR product previews on mobile sites and apps. But this strategy may not be completely inaccessible to small businesses.

For example, a small bicycle retailer called PureCycles wanted to improve the mobile experience and conversions on their website. With a large catalog of bike product photos taken from multiple angles, they've created AR previews with Shopify.

PureCycles says it uses virtual previews improved the customer experience on mobile-optimized browsers and allowed customers to answer key questions about their products, such that "Will this bike fit in my little apartment? "

Virtual mirrors

Have you ever seen a shirt that you liked in a clothes but couldn't find it in your size? Or have you ever wanted to try expensive makeup before you buy it? Here are two business cases that might call for AR mirrors, often referred to as "virtual" or "magic" mirrors.

With AR mirror technology, you can stand in front of a screen in selfie mode, and see an overlay of the appearance of products from the store catalog in the right size or shade.

After your virtual experience, some virtual mirrors will allow you to order the product or to 'send a link yourself so that you can order it later. This avoids any additional friction associated with waiting for the item to return to stock.

This virtual process also allows you to see what products the store is selling but not selling in the store due to seasonality or space limitations.

This strategy is used by Charlotte Tilbury, a UK-based beauty retailer.

Virtual mirrors, purchased and installed by Holition , line the walls of the store. When a client watches one, the camera and software analyze the measurements and skin tone of their face. From there, the customer taps different makeup items on the screen to see what the products will look like on their face. Here's a quick video demonstration of how the software works:

Social Media Filters

Have you ever started Instagram or Face Storiesbook and noticed new AR filters that let you test products directly through your app? Otherwise, you will definitely see more soon.

Recognizing the easy-to-use fruit of AR insights in e-commerce, Facebook and Instagram , are actively taking steps to deliver more commerce that take advantage of this technology. For example, late 2019 , Facebook made AR filtered ads available in Facebook Ads. These ads allow users to test products in Facebook Stories and its news feed.

Here's an example of what one of these ads might look like:

Image source

Leveraging product-centric AR filters on social media delivers the benefits of mobile AR previews without buyers actually visiting a shopping siteelectronic exercise.

As social media users check out their friends' stories or content, they may notice a story that contains an AR product or discover an AR preview that they can live. These types of experiences are much more natural than seeing an influencer post on a dress or makeup item, visit the e-commerce site, and then do some additional research to see if it's the right shade.

While previews of social AR are still in their infancy, platforms like Facebook are already identifying the types of retailers that could thrive with these tools. For example, AR features that allow users to preview products through social media could be a game-changer in the fashion and beauty world. In 2018, this sector has already seen a 164% increase in social media revenues thanks topaid promotions.

Social media users actively interacting with paid beauty ads, brands capable of leveraging AR on Facebook and Instagram would be able to reach suitable audiences for social media on social media platforms. popular forms and allow them to try new products.

One company that already leverages AR to showcase products on social media is Dior, which allows users to try on looks from its Fall fashion line / Winter on their Instagram Stories camera.

Image Source

As social media and mobile browsing continue to dominate, spending by Millennials and Gen Z their time , the need to invest in smart mobile ads, such as AR ads, will also increase.the combination of AR and social media tactics is still new - and not worth spending your budget just yet - you should continue to follow the brands and competitors who take advantage of it in case this technology becomes more accessible in the future.

What Successful AR Means For Retailers

As the growth of AR shows how companies are using new technologies to improve customer journey, efficiency AR and other retail technologies show that customers increasingly seek digital, personalized and seamless shopping experiences.

And that makes sense. More and more, people are using mobile e-commerce stores and online social platforms to find, control and ultimately buy products.

Even if you have a physical store, you will have to adopt some tactics hacompletely digital to make sure that you gain notoriety among Internet users and people in your neighborhood.

And while you shouldn't be spending all your money on AR, there are other tactics you can take to educate your audience about your products or services. These include highlighting your products on social media , launching a target online store , or sending e -personalized emails on products they might like based on what they have already purchased in your store.