Augmented reality retail
The end of testers is closer than you think…thanks to augmented reality.
That we are in the middle of summer is obvious, and there is no shortage of proof of it. The heat is unbearable, the beaches are full of bathers and finding a table on a terrace is almost mission impossible. But above all, there is a sign that floods every shop window in sight. Sales, sales and more sales. And consequently, endless queues, crowded stores and hours in the fitting room to decide with which swimsuit we will cause a sensation next Sunday at the beach. So far, augmented reality can’t help us find room for a towel or keep us from melting under the relentless summer sun. However, it will get us out of more than one trouble when we want to renew our closet, redecorate our house or know what makeup goes best with our skin tone. The development of augmented reality is revolutionizing the retail sector. Thanks to augmented reality retail, we will be able to move through the usual stores as never before. In fashion stores, for example, we will be able to interact with large screens to see in advance how that jacket we like so much would look on us.
Timberland has already tested this initiative, based on Kinect technology in retail,
through which we can interact with a screen through gestures to navigate between the different garments available, and thus see which one suits us best. Other major brands have already offered similar experiences, such as Topshop or Lacoste. The latter launched the LCST app, which allows potential consumers to see, through their smartphone, how the brand’s footwear looks on them without having to put it on. With this technology, the crocodile brand aimed to change its traditional target to try to connect with a younger audience. And the results were clear to see. More than 30,000 users used this application to test products in 3D.
Augmented reality turns toy stores into even more magical places
When we were kids, we all had some specially marked dates on the calendar. Birthdays and summer vacations were fine… but nothing could compare to Christmas. There was nothing better than bringing your new toys on the first day of school to see who had the coolest one of all. Toy stores had an almost magical aura. Although we all remember those feelings with nostalgia, the truth is that times have changed. And now the little ones have more fun with a smartphone than with the latest Action Man. Toys “R” Us, which understands how to make children enjoy themselves, was able to take advantage of this change in trend by launching, together with the augmented reality and artificial intelligence company PlayFusion, the Play Chaser application.
This program offers, through your phone, a real interactive experience in the very aisles of the store. The little ones (and not so little ones) can have a blast in the aisles of Toys “R” Us thanks to a series of 3D mini-games in augmented reality retail. Taking care of a baby, playing basketball or going on a safari are some of the possibilities offered. This application, which has accumulated more than 100,000 downloads and a rating of four out of five on Google Play, offers a perfect solution to an increasingly pressing problem. Industry giants such as Mattel have seen their sales drop year after year since 2013, largely due to the invasion of screens.
Thanks to augmented reality, you will never get lost in a store again.
Augmented reality mirrors or in-store interactive mini-games are effective and eye-catching solutions to real problems. However, retail augmented reality companies have also strived to improve the user experience in retail in more subtle ways. For example, augmented reality is also able to make it easier for consumers to find their way around the store. How many times have we gone crazy trying to find the shirt section in a Zara store? How many times have we wandered unsuccessfully through the aisles of Mercadona to find a brick of milk? All that is over thanks to augmented reality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upWC8v-SQcg
And it’s all as easy as pointing the camera forward and letting yourself be guided by small icons overprinted on your phone’s screen. In short, the development of virtual reality offers a world of possibilities that go far beyond capturing a Pikachu on the ramblas. When it seemed that retail was going through its worst moment due to the popularity of online commerce, this type of application offers enough incentives to, despite the heat, go down to the store and buy that swimsuit that suits you so well.
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