Research reveals significant demand for augmented-reality changing rooms

As reports surface that consumer expectations of in-store tech are not being met, a new study reveals a considerable demand for augmented-reality changing rooms.

by Helen Leggatt

Recent research from Fujitsu's revealed that 4 in 10 consumers are often disappointed by technology offered in physical stores. In fact, just over 6 in 10 said they would choose one retailer over another based on in-store technology. Reports from Mindtree and Apadmi also reflect consumer demand for more teched-up store.

"There is a need among consumers for retailers to make better use of technology in-store to make every aspect of the shopping journey more enjoyable," said Nick Black, CEO of Apadmi. "As shoppers continue to embrace mobile e-commerce and retail apps, the in-store experience needs to remain relevant and incorporate the benefits that can be achieved through shopping online."

Episerver's latest 'State of Digital Commerce' report found that augmented-reality changing rooms were a more popular choice among shoppers than drone delivery service, one-click ordering or the ability to download 3D-printed products.

But despite the consumer demand, Episerver's research shows that only 8% of UK marketers have incorporated AR into their commerce campaigns and just 10% have used virtual reality (VR) in their marketing efforts. Two-thirds (66%) 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," said Ed Kennedy, commerce strategist at Episerver. "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."

As with research undertaken by other organizations, Episerver's finds that two-thirds of shoppers are not satisfied with existing shopping technologies, either in-store or online. And, despite consumer demand, just 8% of UK marketers have incorporated augmented-reality into their campaigns.