How to use Augmented Reality to renew retail customer experience

What is the difference between Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality?

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are two different things. Virtual Reality involves immersion in a completely artificial world, while Augmented Reality enriches visible reality with multiple layers of superimposed information.

What is Augmented Reality?

Now that we have clarified the difference between Virtual and Augmented Reality, let's focus on the latter. What exactly is it? In retail, Augmented Reality aims to enhance the consumer experience through the consumer's own eyes and devices. In other words, using their smartphone, consumers can view additional multimedia content simply by framing a marker linked to a product, or the product itself. Once the marker has been recognised, a specific AR (Augmented Reality) application will display information, images, links, 3D objects and videos on the device, overlaid on the framed object.

How can Augmented Reality renew the customer experience in retail?

First of all, Augmented Reality engages customers in an innovative experience that bridges the physical contact typical of in-store sales and online shopping. The result combines the strengths of both experiences, creating a third, much more complete one that unites the desire to see and touch the product with the ability to learn about all its details, offers and available alternatives at the same time.
Augmented Reality becomes a way to build loyalty among the most demanding customers, who prefer informed purchases to impulse buying, as well as among younger customers, who tend to choose smarter ways of shopping.
Finally, it is one of the most effective methods for strengthening brand identity: by drawing customers into an exclusive, functional and unexpected shopping experience, Augmented Reality leaves a memorable impression that can guide them at the moment of purchase and in their decision to return.

The Custom Group recognises the potential of this technology in Retail and beyond. In the first few months of 2018, we presented the innovative Augmented Reality solutions designed in-house by the Group and integrated into the Custom hardware offering at numerous international events: in London at ICE Totally Gaming, in Düsseldorf at EuroCIS and in Amsterdam at Intertraffic. The aim is to offer a new user experience that is simple to implement, immediately understandable, extremely versatile and capable of strengthening service quality, enriching the consumer's perception.

Today, Augmented Reality is a highly technological aid from both a commercial and a corporate perspective. It is a genuine tool that should be included in business strategies, which increasingly have to contend with highly competitive markets. Custom has developed fully customisable solutions that give our partners unique live experiences, in store or through online channels, solutions for showing customers the products to be purchased, and solutions for training and maintenance

Cristian Ravazzini, EMEA Director Industrial and Kiosk Business Unit

To find out more, contact us at info@custom.biz or read more at the following links:
ICE Totally Gaming, London - pressgiochi.it article, jamma.tv article
EuroCIS, Düsseldorf - EuroCIS 2018 "the best of" video, article
Intertraffic - Amsterdam - video Custom Group AR