Virtual fitting rooms? Yep, it’s the latest retail gimmick, and watch manufacturers stand to gain traction. Just think of this scenario. You’re sitting in front of your laptop out at the beach and see a watch in a bold design. You wonder, “Would that look good on my wrist?” With augmented reality (AR), AKA interactive video technology, you can actually print out a facsimile and see how it looks on your wrist! Read on to find out how.
When you see an ad for beautiful merchandise of all kinds, you can soon stop wondering how it would look on. If it’s a watch, you can print out a small piece of paper with an embedded barcode, wrap it around your wrist and hold it up to your computer camera. Voila ─ you’ve got a virtual watch on your wrist. Turn it around. Is it too big or too small? Would you prefer gold, stainless or leather?
What’s the magic? It’s called augmented reality (AR), which is also known as interactive video technology. This is something that will definitely transform the future consumer experience. The technology has been experimental for a while. This year, AR is going mainstream, and it has the potential to close the gap between brick and mortar and online stores.
ABI Research, a technology marketing intelligence company, estimates the market for AR in the U.S. will reach $350 million by 2014, up from a mere $6 million in 2008. Total annual revenues from AR-enabled mobile apps are predicted to reach $732 million in 2014 based on ABI’s findings and up considerably from a scant $2 million in 2010. Many fashion and luxury brands are beginning to implement AR.
In January, Ebay launched an AR app that allows iPhone 4 users to try on sunglasses digitally whereby they can superimpose the design over their face (captured in the camera phone). Late last year, H&M online fashions launched an iPhone app from GoldRun, an AR firm that allows you to track down, interact with and collect virtual objects to share with friends on Facebook. This way, shoppers can try on outfits virtually, take a photograph of themselves and create a fashion statement to share on Facebook or elsewhere. Other stores also have in-store and online AR plans whereby customers can try on merchandise to see themselves live on video.
AR provides a fantastic opportunity for online retailers, particularly fashion stores, to demonstrate their merchandise virtually. The technology encourages consumers to buy because of the reassurance it can provide. Supposedly, it can also reduce the number of returns due to buying the wrong size.
However, AR is still in its infancy, and the user experience is yet to be refined. AR cannot completely replace the store experience as nothing can duplicate the emotional impact of physically trying on merchandise. But it can give consumers an idea of what goods will look like and influence sales.
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