Using Mixed Reality to Create Immersive Shopping Experiences
In today’s competitive market, simply being aware of customer needs and using traditional approaches is no longer sufficient. To stay ahead of the competition, retailers must be able to anticipate customer desires and future trends.
Mixed Reality: What is it?
Mixed Reality (MR) is a phrase used to describe technology that combines elements of both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). In other words, it is a blend of the real and the virtual world, creating an environment in which physical and digital objects coexist and interact in real time. This can create a more immersive and engaging experience for users, allowing them to explore virtual environments and interact with digital objects.
As mixed reality technology continues to advance, retailers are looking for ways to improve customer experience by incorporating it into their e-commerce operations. By integrating AR and VR technologies into their online stores, shoppers become immersed in interactive environments that allow them to explore products and make informed purchasing decisions. Retailers can stay ahead of the competition by using cutting-edge technology to provide consumers with the best possible shopping.
Here are some ways mixed reality can enhance e-commerce:
Why Use Mixed Reality?
- Boosts Customer Engagement
Mixed reality has the potential to increase consumer engagement by providing a more immersive and interactive shopping experience. By allowing shoppers to try on clothes virtually, explore virtual showrooms, and place virtual products in their home before purchase, mixed reality technology allows consumers to interact with products like they never have before. Mixed reality can help you take the guess work out of online shopping.
Many companies are looking to invest in mixed reality to help enhance their e-commerce. For example, IKEA, a Swedish furniture company, has developed an AR catalog app that allows consumers to virtually visualize how a piece of furniture will fit and look in their home based on its dimensions. Shopify reports that brands that have adopted mixed reality have seen an average of 250% increase in conversion rates.
- Increases Sales
Shoppers can make informed purchasing decisions by using mixed reality to interact with the products they are looking to buy. Mixed reality makes it easier for consumers to visualize and customize products. For example, a clothing store could use mixed reality to let customers try on different outfits and see how they look in real time, or a car dealership could let consumers customize their vehicles and see how they would look with different colors and accessories.
This can make the purchasing process more fun and engaging and can help customers feel more confident and satisfied with their purchases, potentially leading them to buy more. It has been reported that just under half of consumers are more likely to pay more for a product they can interact with and customize through mixed reality first.
- Reduces Return Rates
As convenient as online shopping is, a common issue many run into is receiving a product that is different from what they had envisioned. Mixed reality has a profound impact on decision-making by reducing the disconnect between online and reality. When consumers can see how a product will look in their homes or on their bodies before making a purchase, they are more likely to be satisfied with their purchase. As a result, they are less likely to return it.
This “try before you buy” strategy can help businesses improve their conversion rates and reduce the number of returned goods. UPS found in a study that almost a third of consumers sent back products because they were different from what was previously described.
Looking Ahead
By allowing consumers to interact with digital objects in a more realistic and engaging way, mixed reality has the potential to create new and exciting experiences that were previously unimaginable. With its ability to allow shoppers to try on virtual clothing, explore virtual showrooms, and get more detailed product information, mixed reality has the potential to revolutionize the way we shop online.
