The future of VR is here and it looks bright. In the last year, we've seen a major leap in the popularity of virtual reality (VR) for both entertainment and eCommerce. Numerous studies show that the immersive nature of VR has the potential to make shopping experiences more appealing to consumers. This is because they can get an up-close view of products or settings without actually interacting with them. For retailers that handle physical items, this means faster transactions with less waiting time.
Sullivan Studios has been quick to recognise the potential of this emerging technology. We are investing in VR options and encouraging our clients to look at the potential opportunities for their business. With VR content creation, you can build more immersive shopping experiences for your customers that they will want to share with their friends, family members and acquaintances.
This is not only an opportunity to launch new products or services but it will also help build loyalty. Your community of your brand consumers will look forward to your new product launches.
The speed with which VR is taking the world by storm is meteoric. In fact, a recent report shows that VR revenue is estimated to jump from $1.8 billion in 2016 to $37 billion by 2021. The number of VR users in the United States is also predicted to reach 70 million by 2021!
This technology has already found its way into other areas, and now eCommerce has taken notice. A recent study estimates that approximately 20% of retailers are planning to incorporate Virtual Reality into their business models this year alone.
eCommerce platforms have noted the big opportunity and are working hard to integrate VR into their systems. For example, Shopify users can take advantage of the new Virtual Reality app that was recently added. Shopify merchants can now build a virtual shopping space with various 3D products, and customers visiting their online store can put on a VR headset and see the products from every angle.
BigCommerce also supports 3D product rendering and allows for customisable 360-degree images. You can easily provide customers with an immersive 3D experience by using a headset or tablet. Etsy offers a virtual reality creator tool that lets you showcase your products in 3D. In addition, Shopify customers can use the newly released VR headset that is compatible with their products.
Although other eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, Big Commerce, SageCommerce and others support VR, this option is not yet supported by most marketplaces such as Amazon or eBay. This leaves them out of the race of integrating this feature into their platform.
For any eCommerce business out there, the possibilities are limitless. For starters, retailers can use VR content to showcase new products and services. One simple way is to create an interaction between your customers and your products where they are able to learn more about them through virtual reality. Another popular way is to introduce your brand through a 360-degree video tour of your physical store or factory setting.
VR and eCommerce go hand in hand. In fact, it is predicted that 60% of Virtual Reality users already purchase online. Today, consumers want an immersive online shopping experience. VR is the key to providing this experience. The virtual reality platforms available today are offering a range of services that can be used for promotional purposes and marketing campaigns.
Through virtual tours, retailers can showcase their products to customers without having them come to the actual store first. As a result, businesses can attract new customers and boost sales by letting them interact with products and services online before deciding whether or not they want to purchase from your store.
You could also use virtual tours as an immersive way of introducing new products that will be available on your website. It is important for potential consumers to feel like they are present in the room during the product launch so they feel more involved in the process.
VR can be a very useful tool for eCommerce stores. It can be used to share information about new products, such as how they are made, their benefits and details about other brands that are similar in nature. This way, you provide different information about your business and products so that customers know more about them. The VR tours will help boost your website’s conversion rate, which is the percentage of visitors who complete a specific action on a website.
A VR fitting room is a VR experience where your customers can virtually try on different products within a room. The system is divided into several sections, each with their own functionality and settings that the user can change according to their needs. They are designed in such a way that the customer only experiences one section at a time to create the most immersive experience (except if they want to look around).
This is a whole new experience that will allow customers to experience products in a much more realistic way. All the products within the fitting room are of course virtual, but they are still great sellers since they represent a certain benefit that customers can see and feel up close and personal.
VR will become so advanced that customers can see and interact with the products in ways that they normally don't. For example, when I go to the grocery store I don't have any problem touching, smelling or otherwise interacting with all the products I want to buy. It has always been like this. With VR, the experience will be even better since I am virtually inside the product and able to physically interact with it.
If you aren't convinced by using VR to enable customers to interact with your products, there are also a few other strong selling points that make this technology worth the time and effort of implementing it.
VR will become so advanced that customers can see and interact with the products in ways that they normally don't. For example, if a user is trying on a shirt, he can touch it and feel how soft the fabric is. He can also smell it as if he were inside the actual product.
With virtual reality, customers are able to experience products in a whole new way. To take advantage of this technology, you would need to create a virtual fitting room for your products that will enable customers to interact with them in a way they haven't seen before.
VR can be a very useful tool for eCommerce stores. It can be used to share information about new products, such as how they are made, their benefits and details about other brands that are similar in nature.
If you aren't convinced by using VR to enable customers to interact with your products, there are also a few other strong selling points that make this technology worth the time and effort of implementing it.
If you look at it like a real-world shopping experience, you might think this is a bad thing. After all, if you were unable to physically interact with the products you want to purchase, why are you considering going into the store?
However, if VR marketing experiences become more immersive due to VR technology that is being used in shopping malls and also available for phone applications, people will find it easier and more convenient to make purchases online. And this will increase eCommerce sales in general.
With the uptake of VR goggles and being an early adopter of the technology, you can be seen to be ahead of the game when it comes to VR marketing experiences.
VR is a powerful tool for eCommerce stores. If you haven’t experimented with it yet, you should try it out. There are so many advantages to using this tech, but make sure that you are ready to invest and give VR a go. Remember that first-time users will probably not feel comfortable with the technology at first, so be prepared for some initial frustrations as they figure out how to use it.
If you want to find out more about how VR can benefit your eCommerce store, click here and fill out some details and we will be in contact soon to see how you could leverage VR technology to grow your e-commerce business.