Augmented reality facilitates on-the-spot purchase boost

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Augmented reality facilitates on-the-spot purchase boost.

Giving consumers access to technology that allows them to visualise products at home before purchasing makes them more likely to part with their money, new research has found.

A third of consumers (33%) say they would be more likely to buy a high-ticket item on the spot if they could use augmented reality (AR) to be sure what the product looked like at home first.

Almost half (49%) of consumers think that being able to plan out, test and view multiple room designs and products before spending money would be the biggest benefit of this type of technology.

According to the research, commissioned by DigitalBridge, 56% of consumers also think AR technology would speed up their decision making process because they can visualise not only how a room would look with new furniture, but how the rooms would be used.

AR is also increasing the trend of "social shopping" with more than a quarter of people (26%) saying they like the idea of being able to instantly share their ideas directly with friends and family online, or via social media to get feedback, before they spend any money.

Commenting on the findings David Levine, CEO of DigitalBridge, said: "Redesigning a room like a kitchen, bedroom or bathroom can be a complex process and if people get it wrong it's an expensive investment which is incredibly difficult to reverse.

"The major advantage of AR tools in retail over other technology, like virtual reality, is that they can help consumers to plan room layouts in detail, and visualise how a room will look and be used with new and existing furniture.

"AR allows consumers to try out multiple options and get a real idea of what purchases would look like before they have to make a decision, which is something retailers have long wanted to offer them. The consumer experience has become a vital aspect of commerce, especially online, and new technology is offering people access to an entirely new kind of experience."