Field notes on AI guided selling.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We are thrilled to announce the launch of Shop Threekit. Shop Threekit is the world’s first multi-brand 3D marketplace. That means it’s the first place on the web where virtual shoppers can go to find the best customizable products with high-end eCommerce customer experiences to match.

With this partnership, smart companies can develop immersive, visual digital experiences that engage visitors, boost conversions, and transform their businesses.

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.

In digital marketing, Augmented Reality (AR) has been all the rage for quite some time now, and for good reason. But what’s the best AR app for eCommerce? There are plenty of variables to take into consideration when rating the AR apps available to digital marketers but before we dive in, let’s take a look at what AR is and why it’s so critical for eCommerce today.