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How web-based 3D, AR tools enhance the customer shopping experience
Rob Weaver, chief revenue officer at Vertebrae, shares insight on how 3D and augmented reality shopping tools can prevent returns by boosting confidence that shoppers are picking the right items.
January 2, 2020
By Rob Weaver, chief revenue officer, Vertebrae
The retail industry has a real problem with returns. They not only eat into profit margins, but they put a strain on retail staff and cause inventory pileups. According to estimates, retail returns make up about 8% of total sales, but for e-commerce merchants, return rates can be as high as 15 to 30%.
Thankfully, merchants have a powerful tool to combat these costly returns with 3D and AR-enabled commerce, which is rapidly becoming mainstream. Such tools allow shoppers to view products from multiple angles and virtually try items in context — all without needing specialized equipment or cell phone apps.
Demand is rising for 3D and AR tools that help connect shoppers with the right products: 57% of respondents in a Vertebrae survey want AR to help visualize how items would look in their environments, and a quarter said they want to use AR to try on makeup or new looks.
For online buyers who can't physically touch merchandise, 3D and AR helps them pick the right items and eliminates uncertainty. By meeting expectations the first time around, sellers can boost confidence in their brand.
To stem the tide of returns using 3D and AR assets, retailers should:
Start with marquee products
Merchants should spotlight 3D and AR for the high-consideration products likely to earn top seller status. Especially when shoppers are rushing to take advantage of offers, enabling close inspection of big-ticket items can boost online purchase confidence: shoppers can ensure electronics have the right ports, handbags are made of the right materials, or furniture fits in its designated space. 3D and AR are also especially apt for products that can be personalized; custom configurators can bring shoppers' designs to virtual life, enabling them to view items in detail and at real-life scale prior to placing orders.
Promote 3D alongside AR
In the rush to promote cutting-edge AR features, merchants tend to overlook 3D, which can be a valuable tool in its own right for helping shoppers comprehend product sizing, style, and dimensions. Overall, shoppers find 3D to be 38% more engaging than traditional 2D photos, according to a study by Vertebrae — and the ability to zoom in and examine products from every angle is especially crucial for mobile shoppers, given that the inability to see items clearly is a leading mobile purchase hurdle.
Integrate throughout the shopping experience
Retailers that have invested in 3D and AR assets should make them widely available across the growing number of touchpoints that support web-based immersive features. On the e-commerce site, the availability of 3D and AR should be highlighted on the homepage and available through interactive offerings such as customer support live chat and personal shopper messaging services. Offline, brands should experiment with 3D and AR links in printed catalogs and on store signage and shelf tags to encourage shoppers in the aisles to connect with immersive assets.
Additionally, brands should take advantage of new opportunities to syndicate 3D and AR content widely. For example, Facebook is working with Vertebrae to help retailers develop AR commerce across its properties, while earlier this year Google announced 3D and AR product visualizations would be accessible in search results.
The ability to accurately portray details and dimensions through immersive assets can help retailers set product expectations from the earliest stages of the shopping journey, boosting chances that shoppers will be satisfied with their items.
Sellers can address key questions before shoppers click "buy" by leveraging immersive 3D and AR tools that minimize the potential for returns, all while earning the trust and loyalty of users long term.
