Shopping with Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality: Is it a thing of the future or closer than you think?

What is the difference between VR and AR?

Before we delve deeper into the possibilities of VR and AR in shopping, it's important to understand the difference between the two technologies. AR adds virtual elements to the real world, while VR completely shuts you off from the real world and immerses you in a virtual environment. With a VR headset, for example, you can play games, go on a roller coaster ride, climb Mount Everest, or even shop.

How does shopping with VR and AR work?

Imagine you want to visit a makeup store. With VR, you can walk into the store and look for the right products. Then, with AR, you can see the makeup on your own skin and determine if it suits you. The goal of VR and AR is to connect the real world and the online world, and according to research, many people prefer stores with AR over stores that don't use this technology.

Another example of how VR and AR are used is when buying furniture. With the help of VR and AR, you can try out virtual furniture in your own home before you buy it. For example, you can place a virtual couch or armchair in your living room and see how it would look before making a purchase. This helps consumers make better decisions about their purchases and prevents any regrets later on. It also offers a convenient way to see if the furniture matches the rest of your interior.

What are the benefits of shopping with VR and AR?

• You can see in advance whether an item you want is still in stock because it can be retrieved digitally. If the desired item is available, you can virtually visit the store and see if the product is what you are looking for.

• You can be your own stylist. Not only with clothing but also with the interior of your man cave or living room, for example. First, you can match everything perfectly in your virtual living room. Then, you can easily add everything to your shopping cart to order it right away.

• In the future, with VR combined with AR, the possibilities will be endless. We expect the Chinese market in combination with AliBaba to come up with this within 2 years.

What are the disadvantages of shopping with VR and AR?

• You still miss the "feeling." For example, when choosing an armchair, you miss the convenience of sitting and testing if it is comfortable. When you visit a VR / AR clothing store, you cannot try on the clothes to feel how they fit, but with AR, you can see how they look (which is already the first step).

• Using a VR headset like the Oculus Rift is not yet super cheap. The headset itself, as well as the computer it connects to, cost more than an average December gift. This will change in the coming years.

Using the VR headset frequently can be uncomfortable. Dizziness is the most common complaint.

Conclusion

Shopping with VR and AR offers a lot of possibilities, but also has some limitations. If you have an online store, it is definitely worth exploring how you can use these technologies to better serve your customers. According to research, many people are enthusiastic about the possibilities of AR when shopping, so it's definitely worth getting started with it.