In this rapidly evolving field of retail, it is crucial for brands to build, establish, and maintain a specific brand identity design and image in the competitive market that not only differentiates them from other businesses but also positively shapes the viewers’ perception and promotes brand recall. Considering this scenario, augmented reality (AR) stands out as a disruptive technological aspect that has established a perfect link between physical retail and digital buying experiences.
Brands that wish to maintain relevance and look forward to growing their customer base definitely need to keep pace with the regular changes happening in the market. They also need to cater to the evolving demands and preferences of their customers. Well, this is not as easy as it seems to be. However, with the integration of augmented reality, brands can easily increase customer engagement and satisfaction. And clearly, a happy and satisfied customer is directly equally to increased sales and profitability.
Augmented Reality: Bringing Products to Life
The concept of augmented reality revolves around coinciding digital information and images with the real world. This technological aspect directly provides customers with an interactive and immersive retail experience. Well, this is because the users can access the real world, virtual image of how a product will appear at their place before actually purchasing it. They can either view the thing in store space, or else they also have the option to create a virtual image utilizing their own space. Well, this is the main reason why brands from the fashion and apparel and home decor industries have started adopting the concept of AR.
Read out this example for a clear understanding: Let’s suppose a customer wants to buy a piece of furniture, say a sofa, for his living room. However, due to the availability of too many options, the user is confused about which one will look the best in the house. In this scenario, augmented reality allows the customer to seamlessly generate virtual images of different sofa sets in his living room. The customer can further purchase the furniture that looks the best. Utilizing AR does not just allow customers to make informed decisions but also significantly minimizes the chance of returns.
The House Of Red Chief, a men’s fashion brand that deals in footwear, apparel, and accessories, wanted to do something different in its retail stores in order to attract more customers. As a result, the brand collaborated with D’Art Design, an ATL and BTL marketing agency known for providing complete retail solutions under one roof, in order to develop an immersive experience for its customers. The firm integrated various interactive elements in the store design, including smart mirrors that helped customers find the best pair of shoes from the entire collection in just one click. At the end, House of Red Chief experienced a 40% boost in its overall sales within a time span of just three months.
Enhancing Customer Engagement
In this highly demanding era, customer interaction is indeed an essential element for a successful retail strategy. AR, in this scenario, offers an incredible way to catch and maintain customer attention. As already mentioned at the start of this article, businesses may stand out from the crowd by providing the visitors with engaging and personalized buying experiences.
Driving Sales and Reducing Returns Through Augmented Reality!
Sales is indeed the most important aspect for any business. Every brand that is operating in the market aims at increasing sales and boosting profitability. AR significantly impacts the overall sales of a business in a positive manner.
According to numerous studies, AR can boost conversion rates by up to 40% while lowering product returns by up to 25%.
Well, just implementing AR in stores won’t allow businesses to access every benefit. Instead, they need to hire reputable professionals that develop immersive brand building experiences by implementing strategic tactics and boosting brand recall.
