Technology

3 questions to ask when building AR commerce that lasts

Rob Weaver, chief revenue officer at Vertebrae, explains that while retailers are hurrying to implement 3D and AR shopping experiences, to build online purchase confidence, it’s just as important to implement an offering that puts retailers in prime position for rapidly-evolving opportunities.

Photo by istock.com

July 5, 2021 by Rob Weaver

Retailers are flocking to 3D and augmented reality and implementations are only set to accelerate even as consumer demand for these technologies grows. Three key questions will ensure retailers select the right evergreen platform that will not only help them launch quality experiences now, but position them for future opportunities.

Consumers are using AR for commerce more than ever. Recent research from Snap and Deloitte Digital finds more than 100 million consumers are shopping with AR online and in store. The analysis predicts that by 2025, nearly 75% of the global population and almost all smartphone users will be frequent AR users.

This is a transformative moment for retail as more than three quarters of those who've tried it say AR shopping boosts confidence in purchasing items. To capitalize on this opportunity, retailers large and small are implementing 3D and AR solutions. YETI, for instance, recently marked an industry first when the brand unveiled 3D and AR for its signature coolers, joining retailers across furniture, electronics, outdoor, handbags and more who are using this technology to bring their products to life shoppers.

To stay competitive, retailers need to fast track the launch of their own 3D and AR offerings. But as they plan implementations, they should not only address immediate competitive concerns, but look ahead to ensure their solution is built on a strong enough foundation for growth. Key questions to ask:

How will assets be developed?

Some DIY tools are available to generate low-quality 3D&AR files, so it's not surprising that some vendors promise quick development of assets using nothing more than existing 2D images from the e-commerce site. But the process depends on several variables, and the right choice for one product category may not apply to another, depending on the inherent physical characteristics of each. It's worth scrutinizing vendors' claims closely and requesting samples as proof.

Quality 3D assets form the foundation for AR, and can stand on their own as valuable shopping tools, enabling viewers to spin and flip products and zoom in on fine details such as closures, patterns, and ports. Plus, how 3D files are constructed determines how easily different SKU options can be generated, as well as features such as configurators that let shoppers customize products and view results in 3D and AR on the fly.

Whether retailers have existing 3D assets, CAD files that can be converted as a batch, or need help building from scratch, vendors should insist on quality results and even provide QA processes. Once 3D assets are in place, AR experiences should be created in compliance with the latest commerce standards.

How can shoppers access this experience?

3D and AR experiences were historically built within retailer apps for specialized purposes. Shoppers could take measurements of their room and then populate it with AR product renderings, or upload head shots into apps for trying on sunglasses or eyeglasses.

While those apps remain useful for targeted audiences, the fact is that 80% of all app usage is in social media, gaming, and streaming entertainment — and within the remaining share, Amazon, Alibaba, and other giants dominate the retail space. Most individual retailers can expect just 1-2% of their audience to use their custom apps.

Similarly, requiring headsets or other hardware adds friction to the AR experience and severely limits AR capabilities to an extremely small subset of customers.

That's why direct access to 3D and AR via the mobile web is so crucial. The latest smartphone and laptop browsers enable consumers to view immersive assets with the same ease as 3D assets — driving demand for broader implementation for shopping. A survey from Vertebrae found more than four in 10 consumers want to access AR directly on the web, with more than half saying they wanted to virtually place items in their physical spaces and 63% saying they want to be able to flip, spin, and zoom in on items in 3D.

How future-proof is this implementation?

With the 3D and AR shopping landscape evolving quickly, merchants need a solution that not only delivers the experiences they need right now, but positions them for success as new opportunities arise. Retailers should look for an evergreen solution that gives them the flexibility to add and manage new assets and generate experiences in new formats without needing IT resources. Marketers and merchandisers should be able to organize, update, and deploy experiences without IT resources, much as they do 2D images today.

With that flexibility, retailers can pursue new opportunities that are already being piloted on social networks such as Instagram and Snapchat, and position themselves for eventual 3D and AR integration into Google search results. As these immersive experiences evolve, retailers should be able to build on the foundation they already have.

As consumer access and demand grow, retailers are hurrying to implement 3D and AR shopping experiences that help build online purchase confidence. But while the immediate potential payoff is significant, it's just as important to implement an offering that puts retailers in prime position for rapidly-evolving new opportunities.

Rob Weaver is chief revenue officer at Vertebrae