7 Incredible Examples of Brands using Augmented Reality Shopping

]Evolving from a good-to-have technology into a must-have, there's no doubt that augmented reality has given brands and retailers a more surefire way to not only provide an enjoyable and interactive online buying experience but also boost buying confidence and drastically influence purchase decisions.

Having said that, top C-Suite executives and decision makers still need to evaluate whether augmented reality is the right technology for their brand, audience and product line. Gaining a good understanding of the existing use cases and examples of augmented reality in online shopping can radically help in that decision process.

In this article we're covering 7 wildly popular examples of augmented reality shopping from brands and retailers. Let's have a look:

1. Sephora Beauty Mirror

One of the most popular examples of AR shopping in the beauty and makeup space, Sephora's Beauty Mirror lets online shoppers virtually try on different products on their own face.

Previously released as a 2D feature where customers had to upload a selfie, Sephora's app has come leaps and bounds from there. Now shoppers can simply tap on products and their shades to see how each looks on them directly on the video feed on their camera.

As shoppers turn their face from side to side, they can see how they look from different angles (like they would in front of a mirror) and confidently buy the products they like.

2. Converse Sampler

Another example of app-based augmented reality shopping, Converse Sampler as the name suggests lets users see how a pair of converse would look on their own feet. Shoppers need to simply point their phone cameras to their feet to see an overlayed 3D version.

As one of the initial uses of in the online footwear industry, Sampler garnered quite a buzz and mainstream engagement as consumers across the world were wow-ed by the buying experience.

3. Nike SNKRS

Unlike any other augmented reality shopping example, Nike SNKRS takes a unique geolocation based approach to engage super fans and sneakerheads in the NYC region.

At a time when the rise of violence in sneaker culture (especially when it comes to limited editions) is a serious cause of concern, brands like Nike consciously chose to shift to online channels for their limited and rare editions. But selling those online come with their own obstacles like automated bots and scripts that reserve Air Jordans faster than any human could.

Nike's initial score with the SNKRS app not only combats these breaches but also makes buying limited editions an enjoyable experience, instead of a difficult one. The app essentially lets users unlock limited editions by visiting the product page, tapping on the 3D model and then pointing their camera at a menu of Chang's Fuku Restaurant or the special SNKRS posters that Nike has placed across NYC.

3. Gap Dressing Room

"We want our customers to always be confident that the product they see will fit they way they expect," says Gap's official statement on their launch of their virtual Dressing Room. Staying true to it, Dressing Room lets online shoppers select one of the 5 body types that is closest to theirs and see exactly how a piece of clothing looks and fits their selected mannequin.

As expected, Gap reported high levels of customer satisfaction and conversions from the functionality with shoppers preferring to use the Dressing Room instead of viewing a general model or static images and videos.

4. Burberry

The most recent addition to the list of AR shopping examples, Burberry brings the immersive technology directly to Google Search. With this functionality, online shoppers can go on Google, search for say a Burberry TB bag and tap on the AR mode to view it in their own surrounding.

Of course it's not as good as trying it on yourself but the fact that shoppers can interact with AR visualizations right from Google Search makes accessibility and reach extremely seamless. Currently limited to the US and UK, Burberry is currently evaluating how to best implement global roll outs.

5. IKEA Place

For far too long, the online furniture industry has been one of the slowest category of products to gain a foothold online. After all, it’s hard for shoppers to judge whether a piece of furniture will fit in their space or go with their room decor just by looking at it online, rather than in person. In fact, the larger the item or its price tag, the more reluctant the shopper is to make that purchase online.

Up until IKEA decided to give this traditional behaviour a 360 degree spin.

Instead of leaving it up to the shoppers to imagine how something might look on them or in their space, big box retailer IKEA lets shoppers digitally place and visualize pieces of furniture in their own home or office space.

Inside the Place app, shoppers automatically get answers to questions like 'will this sofa fit, match my decor and look good in my space?'- as they can see and decide themselves.

6. Houzz' View in My Room

Another example of see it in your own space, home design and decor company Houzz lets shoppers virtually place and view more than a million products- from floor tiles and wallpapers to cabinets and bathroom vanities.

Since the launch, more than 2 million people have used their "View in My Room" feature when buying products and those who interacted were 11 times were more likely to make a purchase, as reported by Houzz.

7. Warby Parker

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Winning a Webby for their virtual try-on ios app, Warby Parker uses augmented reality and face mapping to virtually try on glasses inside the 'Home Try-On' mode. In a space where many apps and websites offer gimmicky overlays of eyewear and sunglasses, Warby Parker differentiates themselves with a realistic live experience tailored around accuracy.

This list of augmented reality shopping examples is by no means indicative of the only examples in the retail industry. In fact, many top brands like Lacoste, Gucci, Crocs, L'Oreal, Pottery Barn, Lego, Phillips and Toyota to name a few have adopted augmented reality to deliver more informed online shopping experiences.

AR You Ready?

We hope these examples from some of the best brands in the retail industry inspire you to think about how your brand attracts, engages and converts online shoppers.

If you're curious to understand how can you leverage 3D and Augmented Reality in your online shopping experience to bring your products to life and drastically influence purchase decisions, schedule a quick demo to see how Designhubz' web-based 3D & Augmented reality platform can get you there.