Shopify is one of the most used eCommerce platforms, and its features are compatible with advanced technologies like AR/VR. Presently, customers seek genuine and engaging experiences with the product before buying, which is feasible due to the Shopify AR or VR integration.
Through this technology, customers have been in a position to select clothes or perhaps ascertain the appearance of the furniture in their sitting room. Shopify AR or VR integration is an innovation that can assist Shopify store owners draw customers’ attention.
AR and VR are not something that your store can decide to add on to the list of features that your store offers,— they are what is next. As consumers are looking for a more involved shopping experience, offering this kind of interaction will ensure that your brand avoids conflicting with your competitors. From this blog, you will discover that it is indeed wise to integrate Shopify AR or VR into your store and how it will benefit the store.
Table of Contents
I. Is AR/VR a big thing? Future prospects of AR/VR in e-commerce
Originally, AR/VR was confined to the gaming industry, and potentially, in the first stages of eCommerce, it had a marginal existence. Early adopters are already seeing significant results. Most retail merchants and store operators leverage Shopify AR or VR to develop experience-based solutions that help customers preview the products they want to purchase.
The future of Shopify AR or VR in eCommerce and Shopify is very bright, and everything in front of us seems to be very promising. With further development in technology, it is expected that people will experience more complex approaches to Shopify AR or VR than an interaction with customizing tools. In the future years, integrating such features in online stores is going to be as standard as setting up an eCommerce store today, as platforms like Shopify are already in the process of making it easier to incorporate them.
II. Why should you integrate AR/VR with your Shopify store?
Bringing Shopify AR or VR integration is not only a perfect chance to be different but also to enhance your clients’ experience drastically. Here are three main reasons businesses should integrate it with their stores:
2.1. Enhanced customer engagement
As we have seen by this point, customer engagement is arguably one of the main drivers of sellers’ adoption of AR or VR. In the conventional buying situation, the customer can only browse through pictures and descriptions of products. With the use of AR or VR, they are able to physically engage with the products.
For instance, a make-up company can allow customers to apply samples of different lipstick colors and shades or foundations to select what suits them best without buying the product. Likewise, a sneaker brand can give customers a preview of how the shoes will fit and look like through an angle-augmented view of the shoe. These make customers spend more time on your Shopify store and add uniqueness and persuasiveness to your Shopify store.
2.2 Improved purchase confidence
When it comes to the online shopping experience, there is always risk involved in one way or another. Customers are unable to physically handle the products before they make purchases; hence, they become reluctant. AR or VR stands to fill this void because they assist the customer to see and interact with the products like when they are shopping physically.
When customers can visualize an object within their physical surroundings, they are more likely to pay for it. They are also more likely to feel certain about a decision because they have interactivity with the product rather than just seeing it or hearing about it. Such a reduction in uncertainty can also result in decreased rates of product returns since consumers will be happy with what they have bought.
2.3. Boosting conversions and sales
Ultimately, the goal of any Shopify store is to drive sales, and Shopify AR or VR integration can help significantly boost conversion rates. Engaged and confident customers are more likely to complete purchases. In fact, stores offering AR or VR experiences are getting the upper hand of customers, which ultimately benefits them with an increase in conversions and overall sales. This is because customers who are able to engage more with products tend to make faster decisions concerning purchases.
III. Benefits of integrating AR or VR into your Shopify
3.1. Better product visualization and presentation
Images or even videos cannot provide the details that AR/VR technology gives to the customers, and more importantly, it cannot give the customers the opportunity to touch and/or play with the product. By offering 360-degree views, zoom functions, and real-time interactions, AR/VR provides a more dynamic and lifelike presentation of your products and helps in improving product listing on Shopify, which compels businesses to use augmented reality for product visualization.
3.2. Virtual try-ons and fittings
Currently, virtual try-ons and fittings can be considered one of the key applications of AR or VR in the context of eCommerce. This feature enables the customers to get a glimpse of how these particular products will display or even fit them without getting out of their comfort. Whether it is testing different kinds of eyeglass frames, applying makeup, or even fitness attire, fashion trials on Shopify create customized buying experiences.
For instance, an eyewear company may design its app in such a way that the consumer can ‘wear’ glasses and ‘see’ how they look on them. This may help the customers feel more comfortable with their decisions and minimize the chances of making the wrong choice when buying products online.
3.3. Immersive virtual storefronts
Think about giving your customers the opportunity to ‘walk through’ your store with this technology. The use of VR can make it possible to build complete virtual shops in which the customers can interact with the products as if they are in real-life shops.
For instance, it can be applied to a fashion brand to create an opportunity to place a showroom and try different clothes, pick up the clothes, and examine them from different angles without leaving the house. The use of games within e-commerce helps to create a more personal online shopping experience and, with this, increases the conversion rate.
3.4. Increased mobile compatibility
Also, AR/VR is not simply a computing or VR headset technology only; it is evolving to be more mobile-based, so customers can reach the interaction right through their mobile application or tablet. Most of the AR features, such as try-ons or product visualizations, are available in mobile applications or can be launched simply through a web browser.
For instance, in a jewelry store, it would be possible to provide a facility that would allow the buyer to take pictures of rings or necklaces through their phone’s camera to feel the real resemblance of the product to the body, in this case, hands or neck. The fact that AR/VR is mobile-friendly makes your Shopify store available to many customers when shopping on the go.
IV. How to get started with shopify AR or VR
- Define your goals
Determine what you wish to accomplish—for instance, enhancing the visualization of your products or enhancing users’ participation. Learn how customers’ shopping experience could be improved by using AR/VR.
- Choose the right tools
Shopify offers apps like Shopify AR and SeekXR for easy integration. Explore options that best suit your products and audience.
- Create 3D models
Shopify AR or VR necessitates high-quality 3D models in terms of design and geometry. To create effective representations of your products, you can opt for professional 3D modeling services or tools.
- Add AR/VR to your store
Install the chosen AR/VR app and integrate it into your product pages. Ensure that the features work smoothly across mobile devices, as most customers shop on phones.
- Test and optimize
Test the user experience and gather feedback. You should apply certain changes to increase the effectiveness of augmented and virtual reality tools as an essential sales factor.
Follow the outlined steps to quickly create immersive AR/VR experiences for customers in Shopify stores.
Final thoughts
Companies are aiming to enhance customer experience with AR/VR technology. Most eCommerce businesses are implementing new tools and features, such as AR shopping cart integration on Shopify, which assists sellers in providing improved customer experience. This is not only beneficial for building up confidence and satisfaction but also for protecting the store from any competition in the near future.
