Field notes on AI guided selling.

Today we are excited to announce that Threekit is Live on Salesforce Commerce Cloud on the LINK marketplace.

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 the past decade, we’ve entertained countless predictions for how augmented reality is going to transform eCommerce. While the technology has been possible for quite some time, only in the past few years have the possibilities come into view. In fact, as recently as 2017, Entrepreneur Magazine published an article titled “How Augmented Reality is Going to Transform eCommerce,” and while they got a few things right, there were events and trends in store that they couldn’t possibly have anticipated. To be fair, no one could have predicted exactly what was to come. Nevertheless, it's informative to take a look back at where the leading minds in eCommerce saw things headed. Let’s take a deeper dive into what that now-four-year-old Entrepreneur article got right about the future of AR and–just as importantly–what they got wrong.

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.

When it comes to eCommerce, the less left to the imagination, the better. When customers can’t see exactly what they’re buying, they’re less likely to make a purchase — and are less satisfied with purchases they make. Adding a visual product customizer to your website can reduce customer churn and increase sales.

As more and more indicators point to the end of the pandemic, many brands may be tempted to believe the eCommerce shopping experience will return to the old way of doing things. While we can’t predict the future, we can prepare for it, and a wealth of hard data suggests the new way is here to stay. As smart brands drove eCommerce innovation forward in record time during quarantine, consumers grew to expect those conveniences today and for the foreseeable future. Nearly every region, demographic, and category saw an unprecedented spike in online shopping activity, and eCommerce in general saw a dramatic rise in revenue. That trend still has momentum, and there are next to zero signs of a slowdown.

Today, it takes more than 3D visuals to stay ahead of the digital marketing curve – it takes 3D visual product configuration. This marketing tool has completely transformed the landscape of how we do business, as well as how our customers navigate their journey

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.

The world of eCommerce is more competitive than ever before. With countless brands vying for customer attention on their laptops and mobile devices, it’s critical for every player in the digital marketing space to be on their A game at all times, in every medium. While this may sound like a monumental challenge, it’s also one of the most exciting times in marketing history. New technologies, approaches, and tools are popping up every day, promising an endless future of innovation to look forward to.

If you're like me, you're super intrigued by the hooplah surrounding NFTs, crypto-markets, and meme-stocks. You understand that there are opportunities out there, but you don't really know enough to figure out how to leverage them. This new piece from Threekit's founder Ben Houston, "Virtual Products and NFTs in the Metaverse," is a super helpful overview, offering practical insights for businesses who want to learn how to sell virtual products and make their mark in this space.

The importance of customer experience in eCommerce cannot be over-emphasized. Why? Because without staff or a brick-and-mortar structure, online shoppers form their opinions of a brand based on their journey through its website. The pandemic completely transformed every area of life, including shifting shopping habits from traditional in-store visits to primarily digital experiences.