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The list of examples for AR shopping apps in 2020 is evolving at a steady pace, with more top brands and e-tailers using AR to enrich product content for online shoppers. Not only are these apps changing the way companies market products for sale, they are also beginning to shape the very way people shop online while revealing new opportunities for business in e-commerce and online retail. Dive into this post on AR shopping apps in 2020 to discover the best examples of AR apps for shopping today and to learn more about what makes these apps successful.
Whether shopping for apparel, cosmetics or footwear, furniture, jewellery, toys or more, 2020 has AR shopping apps for just about any online product retail. Examples of these apps include IKEA, Tesco, Converse, Nike, LEGO and beyond — all trendsetters in the space of the AR shopping apps of today.
And while augmented reality for e-commerce and online retail is nothing new, it still remains a novel concept to the majority of online retailers. Challenges to mass adoption for AR shopping apps might be behind this, as 52% of online retailers admit they remain unprepared to support this emerging mobile tech, but in 2020 these challenges are becoming a concern of the past.
Statistics on AR apps also suggest it’s time for companies to take AR for shopping seriously, and to do this it’s crucial to look at the best examples of AR shopping apps on the market. These apps not only pave the way for future app design and online shopping, they also serve as prime examples of what other companies should be looking to do with augmented reality.
The first example of an AR shopping app worth mentioning in 2020 is the IKEA Place app for viewing and placing 3D models of furniture. This app allows online shoppers to select, customize, and then project a 3D model of furniture from the IKEA catalogue into a virtual space.
Among others, one of the benefits to this AR product experience is in limiting the amount of returns due to shoppers purchasing furniture of the wrong size. This occurs more than 14% of the time according to one of IKEA’s shopper surveys, and AR helps counter this.
Shoppers can design furniture or room decor in real-size, customize it on-the-fly, and then through augmented reality bring products to life in every room of the house from the kitchen to the living room and bedrooms — all with the IKEA AR shopping app.
The next example of an AR shopping app in wide use in 2020 is Home Depot’s, a mobile app launched in 2017 that provides users the ability to project a wide range of Home Depot merchandise into any room of the home.
From chandeliers to refrigerators and more, this app can project items from the Home Depot catalogue true-to-dimensions and in 3D into any space where shoppers want to see the product. In 2019, Forrester Research even granted Home Depot’s mobile app the award of #1 mobile app in retail for excellence in functionality and user experience.
Clothing retailer Topshop provides the next example of AR shopping apps, with an innovative feature for fitting rooms with AR support. In these rooms, there is an augmented reality kiosk that provides shoppers with a digital reflection of themselves just like being in front of a mirror.
When at the kiosk, shoppers can select different clothes, customize colors and designs to try-on and see how they would look on their digital reflection. They can quickly swap between apparel or find similar items to what they’re looking for, and overall the experience is intuitive and user-friendly — making it fun for groups of friends or even the whole family to enjoy.
Tesco PLC is the third largest retailer globally, and its mobile shopping app combines the best features of apps for grocery shopping with AR support for in-store Tesco products. Their AR app, Tesco Discover, allows shoppers to scan in-store product labels to receive additional information about products, to interact with customizable features, add items to cart or engage with in-store experiences.
Converse’s “shoe sampler” is a prime example of the capabilities of AR shopping apps for selling footwear. This app provides shoppers the ability to try on different shoes simply by aiming their smartphone camera at their feet. It’s a simple process: select, customize, aim and then view. This app has a wide range of features for footwear-lovers, and it can also be connected with social media channels to share 3D shoe designs with friends and family.
Also in the footwear examples, Nike has taken a unique approach to AR shopping apps in their mobile app. Nike “Fit” allows users to scan their feet and find their true shoe size. It’s as simple as pointing the camera at the feet, and then the app determines shoe size in less than a minute. It also then produces a QR code which shoppers can use in-store by showing to a sales’ representative who can instantly retrieve the user’s shoe size.
The French multinational chain of personal care and beauty product, Sephora, provides another innovative example of AR for shopping apps. Their mobile app includes the “Virtual Artist”, which utilizes facial recognition technology to give shoppers the experience of trying on cosmetics. Users can simply scan their face with the app and start trying on various shades of cosmetics. They can also easily purchase anything they like directly within the app.
The use of 3D models and AR in digital marketing is also rapidly gaining in use, and one example of this can be found in the mobile app of the famous Danish toys retail brand LEGO. They utilize AR for both in-store and online promotions, providing users with stationery AR stands in stores, codes for AR content on product packaging, and applications for mobile users to virtually interact with catalogue pages.
These are just a handful of examples for the AR shopping apps in 2020, and the list is steadily growing. The examples above all demonstrate keen steps forward that will likely change the very shape of shopping in the near future. As technology advances to meet the demands of e-tailers and online shoppers, the more rapidly these apps will develop, and the more augmented reality will be looked to in business models, digital marketing and online retail.
At PhotoRobot, we specialize in preparing businesses for all of their product content needs, from spin photography to scanning for 3D models for augmented reality. To learn more about our flexible tools for product photography, contact us today for a free consultation with one of our technical specialists to learn what we can do for your business.
