“Our customers aren’t using AR.”

I heard this claim, yet again, last week and it reminded me of the first time I saw an ad for Apple AirPods. "They look…ridiculous", I thought. “There is no way people will pay almost $200 for something that looks goofy and incredibly easy to lose.” But, guess what? I was wrong. I was wrong by 111 million pairs in 3 years. (Three of those pairs were personally purchased by me. Plot twist!)

When I hear retail marketers say that their audience isn’t into augmented reality, I can’t help but think – "you’ll see".

In 2020, nearly one-third of the US adult population used AR at least once. A disruptive technology that some marketers pushback on as being “too new,” too confusing,” or “too complicated” seems to be anything but. In fact, those tired of isolation and distancing, skipping trips to the store or trying on a product, post-2020 consumers are craving immersive, real-life experiences more than they ever have before.

The use cases in retail are especially compelling. Nielsen reports that, “43% of consumers will adopt store tech if it alleviates time and provides seamless interaction.” While we may not be able (or want) to pack into stores like we once did, this translates to catalog and online shopping as well.

Imagine using your phone’s camera to:

• Virtually try on an item by visualizing it on your own face or body,
• Project a live model with your clothing size into your room to see her walk, turn, sit and stand,
• Zoom-in to see the sheen and texture of textile,
• Choose styling options and try accessories for completing an outfit,
• Scanning a color to find pieces that complement,
• Capturing your foot to find a perfectly sized shoe.

As a consumer, it’s a no-brainer. Augmented reality removes the guess work. No more fears about fit or function. No more questioning if the scarf or necklace will look right with the top. It takes AR from being a nice-to-have to an expectation for those who want to make the best buying decisions.

As the brand, you will find reductions in returns as customers make smarter decisions in the buying phase. Cross-selling opportunities expand as styling and accessorizing take center stage with just a click. The disruptive tech can garner greater market share from new audiences: Consumers who have never tried your brand that have uncertainty about fit will find that concern alleviated.

At the end of the day, if your “customers aren’t using AR,” it doesn’t mean they truly aren’t – they just aren’t using it…with you. Creating scenes for your SKUs can take just minutes to build and go live in the world immediately. Don’t let the fear of complexity hold your brand back any longer. Consumers are ready, the tech is ready. RealityBLU is ready for you.

Register for our next webinar, "Webinar of WebAR", Wednesday, January 13, 2021 at 1:00pm CT.

Bridget Thomas - VP of Sales, RealityBLU. Contact the team here.