CommerceNext: 20% of US retailers invested in AR or VR experiences in June

Nielsen called the COVID-19 pandemic an “unexpected catalyst” for the adoption of augmented reality and virtual reality (AR and VR) in the shopping experience.

According to July 2020 research from CommerceNext and customer experience company Exponea, more than 20% of U.S. retailers expected to invest in AR or VR for their online stores in June, up from 8% in January.

Some retailers are already dabbling in in-store AR, offering services like 3D body scanning or virtual fitting mirrors. With many stores closed and operating at reduced capacity, these businesses have had to turn to e-commerce and are evaluating mobile-based virtual try-on and other AR features with new enthusiasm.

And, Bollé Brands launched a try-on experience on Instagram that not only lets users see what the sunglasses look like on them, but also lets them experience their surroundings through the polarized lenses of virtual sunglasses.

Additionally, some consumers are engaging with AR more frequently during the pandemic. In the second quarter, the number of people playing with Snapchat lenses on a daily basis increased 37% year-over-year. When Camera IQ evaluated how its clients were performing in the second quarter of 2020, average views (number of times an AR experience was viewed) increased 1.4 times, and average plays (number of times an AR experience was interacted with) increased 1.9 times compared to the first quarter.

The more social platforms lean into truly useful use cases, the more likely marketers will adopt AR. Augmented reality will always have a fun and entertaining side, but experiences that are strictly for fun without a greater marketing payoff won’t be prioritized in marketers’ plans.

199IT.com Originally compiled from: CommerceNext. Please do not reprint without authorization