The adage that the customer is king has never been more true than it is today. Today’s customers are increasingly in the driving seat across the whole business, demanding not only highly differentiated, personalized products but also defining how they expect brands to interact with them at the level of both the shopping experience itself and alignment with personal values such as sustainable practices. On the one hand, customers, focused on convenience, are turning to e-commerce to find the products they want quickly and avoid the hassle of in-store shopping. On the other hand, consumers are experiencing frustration with online purchases that do not live up to expectations. Ultimately, customers are looking for the convenience of buying online with the confidence of buying in-store. Now retailers are asking themselves how to meet these evolving needs. How can they create customer-centric experiences that blend the benefits of confidence and convenience?
Immersive shopping with 3D offers a highly realistic and customizable experience that is positioned to reimagine how consumers shop in the future. Yet retailers have been slow to implement these technologies. In order to remain competitive in this new era, retailers and DTC brands need to look at immersive 3D technologies as the way forward to compete and win over shoppers today and in the future.
80% of retailers think in five years time most eCommerce retailers will have built immersive shopping experiences.
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What are the Benefits of Immersive Shopping?
Immersive shopping refers to the use of technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and 3D modeling to create a more engaging and interactive shopping experience. Here are some of the benefits of immersive shopping:
Enhanced Customer Experience: Immersive shopping allows customers to explore products in a more engaging and interactive way. By using AR and VR, customers can visualize products in a 3D environment, interact with them, and make more informed purchase decisions.
Increased Sales: Immersive shopping can help increase sales by making the shopping experience more enjoyable and memorable. Customers are more likely to make a purchase if they have a positive experience with a product or brand.
Cost Savings: By using AR and VR, businesses can reduce the cost of physical product displays and samples. Instead of creating physical displays for every product, businesses can create digital versions that can be easily updated and reused.
Better Product Understanding: Immersive shopping can provide customers with a better understanding of a product's features and benefits. By using AR and VR, customers can see how products work and interact with them before making a purchase.
Competitive Advantage: By adopting immersive shopping technologies, businesses can differentiate themselves from competitors and create a unique brand experience. This can help attract new customers and retain existing ones.
4 Reasons Why Immersive Shopping Will Be 3D
The future of immersive shopping is likely to be 3D for several reasons:
1. 3D technology allows for a more realistic and engaging shopping experience. By creating lifelike environments, consumers can visualize products more accurately, which can lead to more confident purchasing decisions.
2. 3D technology also allows for customization and personalization of products. Customers can interact with products in real-time and adjust various features such as size, color, and design. This level of customization can enhance the overall shopping experience and lead to higher levels of customer satisfaction.
3. 3D technology enables retailers to provide a virtual showroom for their products. This can be particularly useful for retailers who have limited physical space to showcase their products. By creating virtual showrooms, retailers can display their entire product range and enable customers to explore and interact with products from the comfort of their own homes.
4. 3D technology can also enhance the supply chain and logistics processes. By creating digital models of products, retailers can reduce the need for physical prototypes, which can save time and money. Additionally, 3D technology can help retailers to optimize their inventory management by providing more accurate forecasting and demand planning.
Overall, the future of immersive shopping is likely to be 3D, as it offers numerous benefits for both retailers and customers. From providing a more engaging shopping experience to enhancing customization and supply chain processes, 3D technology has the potential to transform the way we shop
Who Immersive Shopping Appeals To
Immersive shopping can potentially be used by anyone who enjoys shopping and wants to enhance their shopping experience. It may particularly appeal to those who are interested in technology and new forms of retail experiences.
Immersive shopping involves the use of virtual and augmented reality technologies to create a more engaging and interactive shopping experience. This can include features like 3D product displays, virtual try-on capabilities, and personalized recommendations.
Some specific groups that may be interested in immersive shopping include:
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Tech enthusiasts: Those who are interested in exploring new technologies and experiences may be drawn to immersive shopping as a way to try out the latest innovations in retail.
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Fashion and beauty enthusiasts: People who are interested in fashion and beauty may appreciate the ability to try on clothing or makeup virtually, without having to physically visit a store.
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Gamers: Gamers may be interested in immersive shopping as a new form of interactive entertainment that combines gaming elements with shopping.
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People with mobility issues: Immersive shopping can be particularly beneficial for those with mobility issues, as it allows them to shop from the comfort of their own homes without having to physically navigate a store.
Overall, immersive shopping has the potential to appeal to a wide range of consumers, depending on their individual interests and preferences.
Beyond individual interests, there are also specific product categories that consumers feel can benefit from immersive shopping experiences. A report by Acxiom found that the following consumers said that these products should have immersive shopping experiences: 80% furniture, 74% eyewear, 70% automotive, 66% jewelry, and 47% groceries.
Low Fidelity vs High Fidelity 3D
Low fidelity and high fidelity 3D refer to the level of detail and realism in a 3D model or rendering.
Low fidelity 3D generally refers to models with a simpler design and lower level of detail. These models may have fewer polygons or simplified textures, resulting in a less realistic appearance.
High fidelity 3D, on the other hand, typically involves more complex models with a higher level of detail and more realistic textures and lighting. These models can take more time and skill to create, but they can also provide a more immersive and visually appealing experience. High fidelity 3D is often used in product design, where a high level of realism is important.
Immersive experiences can still happen in low fidelity, although the level of immersion may not be as high as in high fidelity experiences. Low fidelity experiences typically use simpler graphics, sound, and interaction design, but can still be effective in creating a sense of immersion.
Examples Of Low Fidelity 3D
Decentraland, Sandbox, and OnCyber are virtual reality platforms that use 3D graphics to create a fully immersive experience for its users. These platforms allow users to create, experience, and monetize content in a decentralized and open environment.
Decentraland, Sandbox and OnCyber's 3D graphics engine is based on WebGL technology, which allows the rendering of complex 3D environments directly in a web browser. This means that users can explore and interact with virtual worlds without having to download any special software.
The 3D graphics engine is used to create the virtual world itself, as well as all the objects and avatars within it. Users can create their own 3D models using a variety of tools and software, and then upload them to each platform for use in the virtual world.
In addition to static 3D models, they also support dynamic objects and animations, allowing for interactive experiences within the virtual world. Below is a preview of the 2022 release from Sandbox:
Why Brands Need High Fidelity 3D
High fidelity 3D is becoming increasingly important in shopping because it allows customers to have a more immersive and realistic shopping experience. With high fidelity 3D, customers can view products from all angles and get a better sense of what they're buying, which can lead to increased satisfaction and a reduced likelihood of returns.
For example, if you're shopping for furniture online, high fidelity 3D furniture models can show you exactly how a piece of furniture will look and fit in your home, allowing you to make a more informed purchasing decision. Similarly, if you're shopping for clothing, high fidelity 3D models can show you how a garment will fit on your body and how it will look from different angles, which can help you choose the right size and style.
High fidelity 3D can also be useful for retailers, as it allows them to showcase their products in a more engaging and interactive way. This can lead to increased engagement and sales, as customers are more likely to spend time browsing and exploring products that are presented in a visually compelling way.
The bottomline? High fidelity 3D is a valuable tool for both customers and retailers, as it can enhance the shopping experience and improve customer satisfaction. We understand what works for eCommerce brands, and our technology and 3D pipeline is the foundation to creating high fidelity immersive shopping experiences.
How Online Portals Will Play a Role in Immersive Shopping
Online portals are websites that serve as a gateway or entry point to access various information, services, or resources available on the internet. These portals typically provide a user-friendly interface for users to access a range of features, such as online shopping, email services, news updates, entertainment, social media, and much more.
Online portals are designed to be interactive and user-friendly, with intuitive navigation features that enable users to quickly and easily find what they are looking for. Many online portals also provide personalized features that allow users to customize their experience based on their preferences and interests.
Some common examples of online portals include eCommerce sites like Amazon and eBay, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, email services like Gmail and Yahoo, and news sites like CNN and BBC. These portals have become an essential part of our daily lives, providing us with easy access to a wide range of information and services at our fingertips.
Online portals are likely to play a significant role in immersive shopping by providing virtual shopping experiences that replicate the in-store experience. This could include the use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies that allow customers to visualize and interact with products in a more immersive way.
For example, online portals could allow customers to use their smartphones or other devices to see how furniture or home decor would look in their own homes using AR. Similarly, VR could be used to create virtual store environments where customers can browse products and make purchases in a more interactive way.
These technologies have the potential to enhance the online shopping experience by providing customers with more realistic and engaging ways to explore and purchase products. They could also help to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping by creating a more seamless and integrated shopping experience.