Field notes on AI guided selling.

With the booming growth of ecommerce showing no signs of stopping, high-quality digital representation of products is critical to increase sales and decrease product return rates. Virtual photography provides a cost-effective solution, when compared with traditional product photography, in showcasing product details that consumers want to see.

If you've ever wondered what exactly augmented reality for eCommerce was and why you're seeing it used more and more by leading retailers, you're in the right place. Let's take a closer look at how this innovative technology works–and how you can use it to put your brand ahead of the competition. What is augmented reality? Augmented reality refers to technology that lets people view computer-generated elements in the physical world. Typically, it's done through the camera of a mobile device.

You probably know the basics of product configurators. Let’s go a level deeper and explore some common questions about this innovative digital tool and how it works.

Augmented reality is the next generation of online shopping. Thanks to their ability to deliver superior online experiences, AR apps for eCommerce have exploded in popularity–and nearly every business can benefit. AR apps not only provide virtual experiences that rival in-person visits; they’re also creating new opportunities that were previously unavailable to consumers. New abilities, like on-the-spot customization, in-home viewing options, and interactive marketing campaigns provide new experiences that neither brick-and-mortar stores nor traditional online shops can deliver. And the possibilities are still growing. Grand View Research predicts the total market for augmented reality to be worth $340 billion by 2028. What was once the province of Google Glass and Pokémon Go has become mainstream.

In a world that’s becoming more dependent on the Internet with each passing day, it’s no surprise that the bulk of modern shopping is happening online. The eCommerce market is flooded with options for customers to choose from, and many brands are fighting to offer their own unique, high-quality shopping experience that sets them apart. Product customization is an increasingly essential component of that experience. The opportunity for shoppers to select the finer details of a given product and personalize it to their own preferences can be what makes or breaks a purchase–and what keeps certain retailers ahead of the competition. What was once a novelty in many brick-and-mortar stores has become a standard for online shopping. There are many reasons why offering product customization in your eCommerce experience is necessary for your company to succeed in the 21st century, and the following are some of the top ones.

As online shopping gains significant momentum, consumers expect a superior virtual experience. In the 21st century, personalization is making a huge stand. That's why allowing consumers to customize their products is the key to high conversion and retention rates. An interactive product configurator is a powerful tool that doesn't just allow customers to explore items from all angles–it helps them create a perfect product by playing around with different configuration options.

Augmented reality (AR) is the process of layering some type of organized digital information onto a real-world scene. The process augments–in other words, improves or makes more complex–our interaction with the world around us. Augmented reality has been available for several years, via smartphone apps like Niantic Inc.'s Pokémon Go and apps that let shoppers see what a certain piece of furniture will look like in their living room. Today, tech titans like Google, Apple, and Facebook have ambitious plans for launching AR-based products in the future. There is an infinite number of potential applications of augmented reality–it's not just for gaming anymore. These prominent companies know AR is required for state-of-the-art products and customer demands. Self-driving cars and smart factories have been touted as primary applications of augmented reality. But with 5G wireless service comes ease of applying AR technology to consumer-based products like smart glasses. It's time for every business to assess the ways AR can be applied to improve both in-house operations and customer experience. Below are some examples of tech industry investment in augmented reality.

Augmented reality is becoming far more than a fun toy. Today, augmented reality is an invaluable tool for businesses. High-quality 3D visuals have seen a growing demand in eCommerce for at least the past decade but the pandemic caused consumer expectations to spike and they’re here to stay. During quarantine, shoppers were forced to do nearly all of their browsing and buying from home. Brands stepped up to provide them with highly detailed, photorealistic 3D product visuals raising the bar for every player in the digital marketing game. Some brands went a step further and designed augmented reality experiences enabling customers to view products in their spaces in real-time. Today, the competition is a short keyword search away and consumers have voiced their preference for brands offering AR for ecommerce. In fact, a recent study found that 66% of shoppers said augmented reality increased their confidence that they were buying the right product. So it’s clear that augmented reality can increase customer confidence, and therefore boost sales, but how can businesses go about designing and deploying an augmented reality solution? Fortunately, with rising demand has come new opportunities to incorporate augmented reality into your marketing plan. There are multiple avenues to that end of varying levels of complexity. Let’s take a look at a few options.

Consumers today are craving highly visual online shopping experiences. Showcasing products in real-life environments via augmented reality (AR) certainly seems like it would meet that criteria. But is AR an effective tool for eCommerce? We’ve all seen AR apps used to share fun, whimsical animations with friends and family but AR has far more potential than a few laughs. Think about it. With high-quality 3D visuals, AR gives consumers a chance to envision real, tangible products right in their own space. This gives them even more confidence than being able to browse a store’s physical inventory at a brick-and-mortar location.