One in five (19 per cent) UK shoppers would like to use an Augmented Reality (AR) changing room when shopping online to find the perfect clothing items, according to the new State of Digital Commerce report from Episerver, a global provider of a single platform to smartly manage digital content, commerce and marketing in the cloud.
Allowing users to virtually overlay clothing onto their digital selves to ‘try on’ different outfits, AR changing rooms are a growing trend among retailers, with high street brands such as Topshop and Gap already trialing the new technology. While many have dismissed AR as a promotional gimmick, Episerver’s research suggests significant consumer demand, with AR changing rooms being more popular than drone delivery services, one-click ordering and the ability to download 3D-printed products.
But despite the consumer demand, Episerver’s research shows that only eight per cent of UK marketers have incorporated AR into their commerce campaigns and just 10 per cent have used virtual reality (VR) in their marketing efforts. Two-thirds (66 per cent) of shoppers say they are not satisfied with the existing shopping technologies available to them when browsing and buying online.
‘In 2017, consumers are demanding new experiences and want the very latest technology to be integrated into their shopping experiences. As it stands, however, our research shows that the vast majority of retailers aren’t even incorporating basic marketing technologies such as personalisation or A/B testing into their campaigns, let alone more advanced capabilities,’ says Ed Kennedy, commerce strategist at Episerver.
‘Until marketers start using more basic tools to the best effect, it seems unlikely that they will be able to incorporate the more futuristic technologies that consumers are demanding. Rather than rushing in, both retailers and marketers must focus on developing strong customer experiences – getting the basics right and then layering on experiential aspects such as AR changing rooms.’
To download the full Episerver Digital Commerce report click here.
