Copyright ©2022 Tango. All rights reserved.
The Post-COVID Consumer: The Future of Brick and Mortar Stores
8
Even before the pandemic, augmented reality (AR) was one
of the top technologies consumers wanted to use in their
daily lives. In a 2019 Nielsen survey, 51% of consumers said
they'd use AR or virtual reality (VR) to evaluate products. Six
months into the pandemic, Shopify reported that product
pages with AR content had 94% higher conversion rates.
Consumers are gravitating toward AR/VR technology because
it bolsters their confidence that their purchase will meet
their needs, especially when they can't physically inspect the
item. Augmented reality helps people see things like:
ظ How furniture will fit in their homes
ظ How clothes might fit their body
ظ How shades of makeup fit with their skin tone
With the explosion of ecommerce activity, AR apps and
content were naturally going to get more usage. But
consumers have also relied on them to solve a pandemic-
related problem, too: they often can't try on or experience
products in person due to health concerns or guidelines.
There was clearly demand for AR/VR before COVID, and
consumers show no signs of losing interest. But this isn't a
case where consumers are necessarily seeking out retailers
that have these technologies. They just feel more confident
in a purchase when they have a chance to visualize it in their
environment (which means they're more likely to convert).
Another method of increasing consumer
confidence is by making returns as simple
as possible. Facilitating BORIS (buy online,
return in store) can help customers feel more
comfortable taking a risk on an item they can't
visualize in their space or digitally "try on."
!
TIP:
"Trying on" augmented reality
