Why You Should Know About New Virtual Reality Technology

March 12, 2017

Virtual and augmented reality applications are making big waves in the ecommerce industry. VR and AR technologies are hitting the mainstream with more affordable devices that integrate easily with existing mobile shopping experiences. Experts predict shoppers will soon use virtual reality to stroll around virtual shops and make purchases right from their living rooms. It is crucial for all retailers to understand virtual and augmented reality and why they are likely to change the face of ecommerce.

What are VR and AR?

Virtual reality and augmented reality are computer-generated environments that give users the experience of being somewhere else or having another reality in front of them. The popular “Pokemon Go” is a popular example of how this works. Augmented reality is less immersive than virtual reality, making it accessible via mobile devices without using a VR headset. However, both options will gain favor with shoppers. Virtual reality applications can also be offered in-store.

How will VR and AR interest shoppers?

There are myriad reasons why consumers will embrace VR and AR to make it a power trend in ecommerce:

• Consumers today are drawn to advances and are always looking for the next big thing.
• Even though online shopping has gained popularity, consumers often still crave seeing the products for themselves. With VR and AR, they’ll get more than a static photo.
• A VR or AR experience can be completely personalized to make the shopping experience more relevant to the customer.

When to Begin

Now is the time to begin. Consumers remember who brought them the technology, graphics, and personalization they crave first. Offer it before your competition and your market share can grow by leaps and bounds. The important thing is to do it right so it is memorable. Consider including features that will make it obvious another business copied you if they follow suit.

Memorable Features

Think about what’s already been done when you’re considering which memorable features to include. For example, IKEA’s VR kitchen app enables customers to create a virtual life-size kitchen. Audi offers a virtual showroom to examine vehicles and the ability to book a virtual test drive. Both of these considered how customers interact with their products normally and provided the experience virtually.

Conclusion

In business, you never want to be in the position of playing catch up. VR and AR are worth the investment if you want to be a leader in your industry. It is no longer a matter of “if” VR and AR will take off, it’s a matter of “when”. Experts believe that 2017 is the year it will gain widespread traction. Retail will never be the same. The question is whether you’ll ride the virtual reality wave into the future or watch your business be outpaced by everyone else.