AR app is influencing customer’s buying decisions.
Top shoe brand Nike found that their most customers usually give a common reason for returning their products and it was, shoe size issue.
Nike then brought the solution and came up with an AR mobile application called ‘Nike Fit’, which allows customers to find their accurate shoe size.
The company reported that this app helped an estimated 60% of people who were wearing the wrong size before; they are now getting the right shoes for their feet and as a result, it contributed a huge growth in the company’s sales.
The world’s largest furniture retailer IKEA received a huge hike in its furniture sales, after introducing the mobile app ‘IKEA Place’.
This app automatically measures the space wherever customer points his smartphone camera in their room or home and provides recommendations on furniture that fits in the space.
Augmented Reality (AR) is enabling mobile applications to do incredible things. AR is becoming a new interface between brands and customers. Companies are using AR technology in mobile apps to provide an effective business solution to the customers and improve their revenues.
And these companies are able to enhance their sales because of using augmented reality in mobile apps.
In this blog, you will know how the powerful features of AR apps can boost your sales and provide solutions in different cases.
Read this blog and you will understand how this rising technology can be a game-changer in your industry.
What is AR App?
Augmented reality (AR) app is a mobile application that merges digital visual (audio and other types also) content into the user’s real-world environment.
The use of AR applications is exponentially growing in different industries including education, healthcare, eCommerce, public safety, tourism, digital marketing, entertainment, and consumer applications.
You may think augmented reality application is a new concept in the market. But you will be surprised to know that the first commercial AR application appeared in 2008, more than a decade ago.
This AR application was developed for advertising purposes by German agencies in Munich. It was basically a printed magazine ad of a model BMW Mini, which, when put in front of a computer’s camera, also appeared on the screen. The application was one of the first marketing campaigns which enabled interaction with a digital model in real-time.
When Pokemon Go entered the market it created a sensation all around the world and this game app acquired 45 million users rapidly. The developer of Pokemon Go used augmented reality which provided a revolutionary user experience.
Besides this, there are various famous AR apps that are making huge profits in the current market.
Famous AR apps in 2021
- Google Lens
- Just a Line
- Google Maps
- SketchAR
- IKEA Place
- Sephora
- Houzz
- YouCam Makeup
- GIPHY World
- Augment
- ROAR
- Snapchat
- Nike Fit
How AR apps are influencing the current market?
“I do think that a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you.” – TIM COOK, CEO, Apple Inc.
Top android app development company in India is considering augmented reality one of the most influential technologies like others; artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and wearables.
eCommerce companies use AR in mobile app development to empower the customers with the ability to visualize and customize products in 3D when shopping. Retailers can establish an effective way to compete in the market with a whole new customer experience that leads to higher sales and enhanced customer satisfaction.
If you own a retail shop, using AR feature in mobile app can turn your small business into a bigger one.
Our digital marketing team at eSearch Logix researched for more data on AR apps and what they found is worth considering:
According to eMarketer report, it is expected that nearly 93.3 million people will use AR and 58.9 million will use VR at least once a month in 2021.
(Image Source: eMarketer)
And as per Statista, the number of mobile augmented reality (AR) active users worldwide from 2019 to 2024.
So you can see here AR apps helping companies and brands to provide effective solutions to their customer and improve sales.
This growth has contributed to the demand for AR app development in India as well, as many Indian companies have started utilizing augmented reality applications in their services.
Several international brands found a massive jump in their sales when they used AR mobile application as a solution to provide a better customer buying experience.
Companies reported AR as an extremely helpful technology when it is integrated with mobile applications, as today’s most consumers prefer shopping through their smartphones.
Here are the top companies who used AR mobile apps to find a business solution and made a huge success in their sales revenue:
Company: Nike
App: Nike Fit
Problem: Nike’s marketing team analyzed what is the main reason that causes shoppers to return the shoes. They discovered that shoe size is the primary issue that forces customers to return the products.
This reason was genuine also as it is very difficult to estimate whether the shoe will perfectly fit according to the feet size of a customer.
Solution: Nike developed a new augmented reality feature in its app, popular as Nike Fit. This feature enables customers to find their shoe size. For this, they simply need to point their phone’s camera at their feet and the app will tell customers their shoe size.
Once the app determines the customer’s shoe size, it saves this information. It not only helps customers in the right buying decision but also assists a sales associate to retrieve the same shoe size when the customer shops at an offline store.
Company: Sepora
App: Sepora app
Problem: Sepora is a French multinational online and in-store skincare, beauty makeup, and fragrance retailer. Sephora realized that customers were looking for an option where they can see how beauty does or makeup product looks at their faces to assure they pay for the right product.
Solution: Sepora introduces an innovative mobile application that contains a Virtual Artist. It basically uses facial recognition technology to allow customers to digitally try on products.
Customers can easily scan their faces using the app. Then they can try on multiple shades of makeup using the app. If a customer likes their simulated or augmented reality look they can quickly and seamlessly buy the products through the Sephora app.
Company: Lenskart
AR App: Lenskart app
Problem: Lenskart is an Indian optical prescription eyewear retail chain that provides spectacle and eyeglasses. The company wanted to provide its customer with a try-on facility virtually to allow users getting ensure they are buying the right product. Therefore, they used augmented reality in both website and app and provided the ‘3D Try On’ feature.
Solution: With the help of the augmented reality feature ‘3D Try On’ users can see what a frame looks like on their face. In this way, the company is able to provide a better buying experience that ensures customer they are purchasing the right frame or glass for their eyes.
Company: Makaan.com
AR App: Makaan
This is an Indian real estate company that moved a step ahead by utilizing AR in the company’s mobile app in the market. They wanted to make the home finding process easier for their customers as customers usually have to spend a lot of time searching for homes or any property.
Solution: This ‘MakaanView’ feature allows customers to see nearby houses which fit their requirements. It basically uses a camera view and then shows a list of houses in proximity. With augmented reality, Makaan.com is now able to provide an enhanced home searching process.
This is how AR apps helping companies to provide enhanced solutions to the customers and boost their sales and revenue.
It is the interactive and dynamic feature of augmented reality mobile application that allows users to do something which is generally not possible by other means.
There are many powerful features of AR apps that companies, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and enterprises can use for finding effective and innovative business solutions in different industries and improve their growth:
Construction
You can use augmented reality applications in the construction industry in so many ways. From architecture design to project planning and safety inspection to workforce training, by using AR apps, it can improve the overall efficiency and output of daily work.
Use cases of AR apps in construction industry: Project planning, safety and inspection, site revision, design, underground construction, and training.
Education
The mobile application has become a great medium to provide online education, which is also known as the eLearning app. When using AR in eLearning app development, the company can provide advanced learning experiences to learners.
Use case of AR apps in the education industry: model experiments in labs (anatomy, physics, geometry, chemistry), concept visualization, scene expedition (museum, factor), etc.
Entertainment
AR application is already a big hit in the entertainment industry. The famous messaging app Snapchat uses augmented reality features that allow users to edit their real pictures with various creative elements.
Use cases of AR Apps in the entertainment industry: Interactive ads, movies, and games, real-time info from sports arenas, and facial expression edition like Snapchat and Faceapp.
Healthcare
Healthcare apps highly rely on using augmented reality features for various purposes such as training, anatomy learning, surgical navigation, etc. With this technology, entrepreneurs are finding healthcare apps as a great startup idea to provide advanced feature that assist people in maintaining their health & fitness
Use case of AR apps in Healthcare industry: Surgical navigation, modeling drug effects, training surgeons on new procedures, diagnoses, anatomy visualization.
Logistics
AR apps can help in different areas of logistics and management. People can use the mobile app to find out the required product in their warehouse, store information by scanning the product, and share it as well.
Use cases of AR apps in logistics: Product finding in the warehouse, transport optimizations, warehouse planning and operations, and inventory management.
Manufacturing
Augmented reality application is extremely useful in the manufacturing sector. There are many cases where engineers have to design and prototype from a real sample.
In this context, AR apps can help them to get the augmented design sample, for example, if there is a need for a product design of a given sample, by using the AR app they can easily get the design without any extra effort.
Use cases of AR apps in manufacturing: Repair and training, maintenance, design, and prototyping.
Real Estate
iOS app development company in India highly uses AR in real estate apps. Many famous apps have already started using this technology to provide an enhanced home searching experience to customers. With AR features, a mobile app can make you successful in the real estate business.
Use case of AR apps in real estate: Home searching, floor planning, marketing, construction staff training.
Fashion
The fashion industry is undoubtedly going to take the maximum advantages of AR apps. Top brands like Sephora, Loreal use augmented reality applications to provide their customers with try-on features to ensure they make a better purchase. Companies have reported improved results in their sales after introducing AR apps in the market.
Use case of AR apps in the fashion industry: Personalized shopping, AR window Shopping, Try-before-you-buy, in-store navigation, and makeup apps.
The Final Words
There is no doubt AR apps have powerful features that can improve your business results. It helps your customers to make a confident buying decision, which ultimately helps in building loyal customers for your brand.
If you are also looking for a solution that can enhance your sales growth and business outcome, collaborate with eSearch Logix who is a reputed AR app development company in India.
We use the latest Augmented Reality app development tools including ARKit, ARCore, ARToolKit that support both mobile OS platforms (Android and iOS).
Let’s have an interactive discussion on your AR app project and find a unique business solution for you.
