Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are changing many industries, including healthcare, training, education and manufacturing. A new report by data and analytics company GlobalData suggests that immersive technologies are now set to transform the retail sector.
According to GlobalData, AR can be used to guide customers around stores, provide information about products and support employees, while VR can be used for immersive product demonstrations.
The report notes that AR can help employees in stores and warehouses by providing practical information while keeping hands free by using equipment such as AR smartglasses. By contrast, VR can be used for immersive training scenarios.
Companies have already begun engaging with the technology, such as IKEA creating a high-definition showroom that uses 3D VR to showcase its products. In a similar way, L’Orreal have set up a Make Up Genius bar in its Paris store that lets woman can test out various make-up looks using AR technology.
Andreas Olah, Digital Retail Analyst at GlobalData, says: “AR and VR have been tested in retail for a while, but have only been implemented in a limited way so far. However, this is expected to change as major supermarkets, department stores, fashion retailers and DIY stores look to roll out them for various purposes, from in-store navigation and virtual apparel trials to product demonstrations, games and interaction with virtual shop assistants. Furniture retailers are also expected to compete more intensely on AR for projecting furniture into customers’ homes to encourage online purchases and reduce the rate of product returns.”
Other major retailers have also begun embracing VR and AR technologies, such as Tesco, Carrefour and Kroger, while Walmart has gone a step further by acquiring a small VR start-up firm called Spatialand to extend its efforts in VR to transform the shopping experience.
Further information can be found on the GlobalData website and VRFocuswill be sure to cover new reports on the VR and AR industry.
Six Hundred Four is a new sneaker brand that creates shoes based off commissioned art pieces and recently they launched the world’s first virtual reality (VR) sneaker store. This store is a harmoniously merge of VR and e-commerce that can be explored without the need for a head-mounted display (HMD).
The experience allows virtual visitors to explore the store at their own pace, viewing the original art pieces while effortlessly adding shoes to their shopping cart. As it does not require a HMD to be viewed, users can explore the Six Hundred Four’s flagship store in their web browser or on a mobile device within a standalone headset.
As the Six Hundred Four retail space is both an art gallery and a shoe store, coined as a “Sneaker Gallery”, this produced a minimalist aesthetic that made it ideal for being brought over to VR. There are even little “Easter Eggs” within the virtual store that allow visitors to claim an exclusive discount.
James Lepp, the founder of Six Hundred Four, explains, “Typical VR experiences are limiting because they require a headset. You can’t type with a headset, and frankly, most people don’t even have one. We didn’t want to have those constraints. Instead, our experience can be used anywhere, any time, on any device.”
Leep continuances by state that communicating Six Hundred Four’s business model to in-store visitors is easy while online visitors prove to be a challenge. “You won’t find a brand like ours anywhere else in the world, so the concept is new to all of our visitors. In the store, we can enlighten you as we guide you around. Online, however, it hasn’t been so easy. With this virtual store, online visitors will gain much more insight into what we do. At least that’s the hope.”
To create the virtual store Six Hundred Four partners with Method Visual, a leader in 360 photography and VR. Tim Enos, owner of Method Visual, asserts that, “What’s most exciting is that nearly everybody can experience it right now, with practically no learning curve. It’s intuitive, clean, user-friendly, and this is just the start.” Both Enos and Lepp plan on improving the technology as more people continue to adopt VR in the future. “Our plan is to open up real galleries all over the world,” explains Lepp, “but depending on where VR goes, maybe it will be more virtual galleries instead of physical ones.”
You can visit the Six Hundred Four virtual store here and VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this in the future.
It was noted when Pokemon Go released that many people were drawn by the app into exploring the outdoors, with crowds of people hunting for elusive Pokemon in parks or public spaces and engaging in ‘Pokewalks’. Outdoor-wear retailer Outdoor Vices is also engaging with augmented reality (AR) to sell its product and get customers enjoying some fresh air.
Outdoor Voices began as an online-only retailer before it expanded into brick-and-mortar stores. Far from attempting to entice customers into its stores, however, the company is using AR to direct customers to outdoor trails and running paths.
The new app from Outdoor Voices is titled OV Trail Shop, which has been created to get customers out exploring and exercising on running trails in their area. Those downloading the app is directed to the closest OV Trail Shop spot. Once there, customers can browse through a selection of activewear in close up.
The locations were apparently selected to appeal to customers who already shopped with Outdoor Voices, and fifty running paths were selected as OV Trail Shop spots. The focus of the AR app on getting people outdoors and engaged in activities seems to fit the company’s ethos, which involves creating communities.
The CEO of Outdoor Voices Tyler Haney told Retail Dive that the funding it received from a recent funding round would be used: “To scale the community we’ve built around Doing Things. This includes continuing to build shops and host events in new cities across the country, and reaching an expanded audience online.”
The company raised $34 million (USD) as part of a Series C funding round which closed last month. The round was led by GV (formerly known as Google Ventures), with other funding coming from General Catalyst, Forerunner Ventures, Collaborative Fund and 14W.
The OV Trail Shop app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. For continued coverage of use of AR in retail and business, keep checking back with VRFocus.
We often get asked by potential clients when to use 2D vs. 3D virtual dressing room technology. There are pros and cons to using 3D over 2D (or vice-versa) and the virtual dressing room use case approach will often help you decide which format to use.
In 2012, we crafted a blog post entitled, “Augmented Reality “3D Virtual Fitting Rooms” — The Good & The Bad”, which went over some of the pros and cons for 3D functionality specifically. With virtual dressing room technology advancing quite a bit over the last 6 years, we thought it might be a good time to readdress the pros and cons for using 2D or 3D virtual dressing room technology.
In the post below, we’ll go over common questions and responses we get and give to retailers, brands and market analysts. Often these questions range from specific virtual dressing room technology requirements (i.e. virtual fit and sizing) to more broad based questions such as what specific barriers are holding back growth of the entire virtual dressing room segment. The Q&A will cover the first half of this post and then we’ll get into how the answers to specific virtual dressing room questions will help you decide if 2D or 3D is best for your specific use.
On a final note, our WSS for Kiosks virtual dressing room technology supports both 2D and 3D functionality so we personally do not have a preference as to using either 2D or 3D items. However, we do have a preference as to what method will help increase engagement for our clients based on a clear defined cost benefit analysis. It’s this cost benefit analysis which drives much of the commentary below.
2D vs. 3D Overview
Virtual dressing room technology comes in many different flavors. While there are virtual dressing room simulations that utilize avatars, we won’t be going over those in detail in this post. This post will focus mainly on the most popular virtual dressing room method of applying a virtual garment in a live video feed over a real-life representation of yourself. Meaning, you look into the camera and see a virtual item on yourself in display (TV). For this virtual dressing room method, we have included examples of 2D vs. 3D virtual dressing room technology embedded below. One was a recent deployment of 2D virtual dressing room technology for a Chick-fil-A event, while the other is a 3D virtual dressing room simulation for a unique Transformers 3D garment that was created for an entertainment experience.
The “Virtual Fit” Question
When trying to decide between using 2D or 3D functionality for virtual dressing room simulations, we often ask potential clients what specific use case or objective they are trying to achieve. The most common response or requirement we get is that they want a simulation that will provide exact virtual fit for their customers. However, neither 2D or 3D virtual dressing room technology will help solve exact fit at this time. While it is technically possible to create multiple anchor points in a 3D model that would stretch, scale and track to a real-life body to imitate fit, it is not optimal from both a cost and processing power standpoint.
Virtual dressing room technology is best used for engagement purposes. We’ve created prior blog posts outlining different use cases some of our clients deployed to achieve engagement. You can read those here and here. Overall, virtual dressing room technology is currently better utilized to promote awareness of a certain brand or item. The virtual dressing room technology then helps the customer from initial awareness to engagement with your brand or item. This in turn then can lead directly or indirectly to a sale.
As a result, we often do not recommend using virtual dressing room technology in a fitting room area of a store. Virtual dressing room tech is best utilized to drive people in-store to interact with and try on your item physically which can lead to an in-store sale where conversion is at it’s highest. The same holds true for the mobile or web purchase intent funnel after engagement via a virtual dressing room kiosk. Virtual dressing room technology still gives your customers a chance to interact with your product unlike any other retail technology out there.
The “How Much Does It Cost?” Question
We created a blog post in the past that outlined “How Much Do Virtual Dressing Room 3D Models Cost” which looked at the different costs of anything from a 3D watch to a 3D garment. 3D apparel models can cost anywhere from $1,000 – $3,000 USD to create. The more complex the garment, the higher the cost. While you can achieve some economies of scale with cost when using one 3D model with different textures (i.e. polo shirt with 10 different colorways), most often garments are very unique and need to have a specific individual 3D model created for it. This drives costs up substantially if you’re creating more than 2-3 items for virtual display.
2D can be done for significantly cheaper though has limitations addressed below. For comparison, 1 3D apparel model might cost $1,000 – $3,000 USD vs. 20 2D apparel items that can be optimized for $250 USD total. While it is possible to get 3D apparel modeling costs lower, in our experience, the less money you are paying for a 3D apparel model correlates to quality. In other words, you get what you pay for and lower cost and low quality 3D models usually will not be accepted by most retail or brand clients.
In addition to 2D or 3D asset costs, you’ll often have 2 other cost components to a virtual dressing room simulation – licensing and hardware. Hardware can typically cost around $2,500 USD for basic equipment including a display TV, stand, 3D camera and PC. Licensing can be per event, monthly or yearly. You can view more details on different pricing elements to a virtual dressing room simulation here.
The “What Can A Customer Do In 3D?” Question
The simple answer is not much. While 2D is limited to the user moving forward/back and left/right laterally with the garment tracking to them, it will not turn 15-180 degrees with the user or allow you to move areas of the garment around like the arms. While 3D does allow you to turn and rotate or move the 3D arm segments of a garment, there are still limitations on what specific 3D movement you can do. We generally advise only allowing a user to turn 45 degrees left or right with a 3D model, as anything more requires the back portion of the 3D model to be created and applied to the user. This drives up costs and demands more power from the virtual dressing room simulation. In addition, there are specific limitations to areas of a 3D garment you can animate and move.
If you have seen 3D virtual dressing room technology concept or simulations videos, you will often notice 2 things:
The simulation is using a very slim or skinny person to do the modeling
The simulation is using garments that do not have long sleeves or areas of the garment that go across the elbow and knees.
There are reasons for both limitations and issues above.
First, as outlined in the “Virtual Fit” question, a 3D garment will struggle to resize proportionately to people with different body sizes and types. So while a skinny person might look great using a virtual dressing simulation, the virtual garment will not size accurately to another person with vastly different body proportions. In short, if someone walks up with wide hips, the garment will not scale accurately at the hip area in the simulation.
Second, when using 3D models, there are specific areas that do not look realistic on the model when tracking to a human body. Specifically arm or knee ‘bends’. When a person bends their arm, it is hard for the camera and software to track the elbow bend and apply the correct tracking and overlay of the 3D model to the bend. Often this will look disjointed with the 3D model bending in a different way than the actual elbow bend of the person. The same applies for the knee area. That is why you often see sleeveless or short sleeve garments in virtual dressing room simulations.
The “How Good Will A 3D Model Look?” Question
In short, not that good. This is one of the inherent advantages of using photo images for 2D vs. 3D modeling for a garment. A photo realistic image of a garment will look much more lifelike and accurate to the actual real life product. The same image you see on an ecommerce site of a product is the same image you’ll see on yourself in a 2D virtual dressing room simulation. However, 3D models need to be created off a garment image or product and then a texture is created. Often the texture and overall pixel count of the 3D model is degraded a bit and does not look life-like or photo realistic in comparison to a higher resolution product image. So while 3D gives you the advantage of moving and animating the garment, the quality of the item itself will usually not match a photo realistic version.
The “Is The Cisco Future Of Shopping Video Real?” Question
No, it is not. This question inevitably comes up from just about every retailer. They have seen a Cisco Future of Shopping concept video that was created back in 2010. You can view the video here. Unfortunately, this video is conceptual with special effects added and was not labeled as a concept. As a result, this misled retailers into thinking this is what virtual dressing room technology could handle from 2010 to present. We won’t go into specifics into how some of the features shown in the video are still more than 5 years out (at least) from today, but will say this specific video has generated unrealistic expectations for 3D virtual dressing room technology.
The “How Does A 2D vs. 3D User Image Look?” Question
In the image above, you can see a photo taken with a Delta employee at the Delta Fashion Show event last year. What you might not know from viewing the image, is that the Delta Employee is ‘wearing’ a virtual Delta uniform. This was created using 2D virtual dressing room technology. While 3D could have been also used for the event, the costs would have been substantially higher. So though Delta employees could not wave their arms around with a virtual garment, the 2D method allowed for more realistic looking photos to be generated at the event.
2D vs. 3D Virtual Dressing Room Technology Summary
In closing, we often use a few general use cases and requirements when advising clients for use of 2D vs. 3D virtual dressing room technology:
When to use 2D:
For realistic, life-like visual representation of your apparel product
When displaying multiple items or categories
For realistic photos of a consumer with your virtual apparel
When to use 3D:
For an entertainment-based simulation
When displaying only a few virtual items
When using dresses or other apparel that doesn’t require animated arm/leg bends
While 3D can look cool and is fun to use, is it worth the higher cost for a 1 week or even 1 month engagement? That is a question you can only answer based on your available budget. As we stressed throughout this post, 2D vs. 3D isn’t as important for the end consumer as the specific use case you are using the virtual dressing room technology for. And based on past use cases and results, we continue to find that people overwhelmingly enjoy a virtual dressing room experience and high product / brand engagement and awareness is often the result.
We’re always happy to any questions you might have on 2D or 3D virtual dressing room technology, so feel free to contact us at any time!
After the launch of Apple’s ARKit a number of companies jumped on the augmented reality (AR) band wagon, one of them being online retail giant Amazon. In November Amazon added AR View to its mobile app, allowing users to place items in their homes prior to purchase. Now with the launch of Google’s ARCore 1.0., AR View is now available on compatible Android devices.
Just like the iOS version, Android users can now enjoy an enhanced shopping experience where they can then select from thousands of items – from living room, bedroom, kitchen and home office products to electronics, toys and games, home décor and more. These can then be digitally placed in their home prior to purchase.
To use AR View you’ll need one of the 13 different models supporting ARCore to begin with: Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL; Samsung’s Galaxy S8, S8+, Note8, S7 and S7 edge; LGE’s V30 and V30+ (Android O only); ASUS’s Zenfone AR; and OnePlus’s OnePlus 5. After downloading ARCore from the Google Play Store all you need to do is open the Amazon app, select the camera icon then choose AR View to enjoy AR shopping.
Google rolled out ARCore 1.0. at the end of last week prior to the start of Mobile World Congress (MWC) which began yesterday. While device support is limited at present Google has partnered with the likes of Samsung, Huawei, LGE, Motorola, ASUS, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo to bring compatibility to further smartphones during the course of 2018.
Amazon isn’t the only retailer delving into AR to improve the shopping experience. Mastercard teamed up with ODG and Qualcomm, Apple and IKEA, Redbubble, Lowe‘s and QVC have all looked to immersive technology to attract customers.
Expect that to grow over 2018, as AR becomes more attractive to developers with the addition of Android. MWC and the upcoming Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018 will likely have plenty of AR related announcements from studios. Additionally, Samsung unveiled its new flagship phone, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ with its own AR features. As further AR announcements are made, keep reading VRFocus for the latest updates.
More and more retail firms are looking at how to use immersive technologies to improve their business. This is particularly true of both augmented reality (AR) and the American market. Previously on VRFocus we’ve brought to you a number of stories as to deals, partnerships and experimentation from some of America’s biggest names in retail. Even earlier today we reported on Mastercard teaming up with ODG and Qualcomm for an AR related retail app. But companies like Apple and IKEA, Redbubble, Lowe‘s (on numerous occasions) and QVC have all looked to AR as a new way to improve the shopping experience.
The latest outlet to join the AR space in retailer Target. They are launching a launching something that is becoming an increasingly familiar site. A new AR help tool that will allow you to see your would-be purchases in your home so you can check whether or not they look out of place or not. After all, when you’re buying something as big and expensive as furniture a mistake can be a costly and frustrating one.
Called See It In Your Space, shoppers looking to snap up something from Target‘s new Project 62 line of home furnishings can take a photo of the space in their home then arrange a 3D representation of the product to your preferred location and scale to see if it really would be a talking point of your room – or alternatively be something you’d have to hide from the neighbours. It’s a limited run in terms of the number of goods available for now, but Target have confirmed that it is just the beginning of what is to come. And that the functionality “will roll out to hundreds of more products by the end of the year and thousands of more products in 2018.”
A spokesperson from Target spoke to TechCrunch on what the plans were for See It In Your Space.
“We developed the interface on mobile web first because we wanted to reach a wider audience more quickly.” They explained. “We also feel like by using mobile web, it’s a simple experience – guests can easily snap pictures using their phone, they don’t have to use any additional hardware or apps. We just felt like it was a really straightforward experience.”
VRFocus will bring you further news on AR in the retail space very soon.
Chinese retail company Suning Commerce Group have seen sales figures surge during its annual shopping festival as result of its integration of new technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and deep learning analysis.
The 8.18 Shopping Festival saw sales figures surge by 263% for online sales, with the new technology-led ‘Smart Retail’ system providing marketing insights that let companies and brands set position and pricing as well as adjust their sales strategies during the promotion period. The Smart Retail technology added value to online shopping by integrating VR, thus allowing customers to test products in the virtual environment before committing to purchase.
Zhang Jindong, chairman of Suning Holdings Group said, “As a leading retail company, we have always been devoted to making retail smarter not only to provide high-quality products, but also to better serve our consumers. This year, ‘Smart Retail’ has exerted its advantages in all aspects and brought great success to our shopping event.”
AR was also incorporated into sales and marketing strategies, with smartphone-powered AR experiences helping to promote products as part of the shopping festival.
Zhang said, “This is the future of retailing, the consumption habits and trend on the internet leads the products and services we are offering. When we are building our platform smarter and more consumer-friendly, we hope to see more global brands coming to cooperate with us.”
Suning Commerce’s future plans for the Smart Retail technology to launch its first intelligent self-service store later this year.
VRFocus will continue to bring you news on VR integration into retail and business.
Star Wars fans across the world are eagerly anticipating the release of the latest movie in the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. As part of the promotion for the film and its associated merchandise, a global augmented reality (AR) event will be rolling out in retail store in September.
Fans will be able to download the Star Wars smartphone app in order to participate in the ‘Force Friday II’ event, a follow up to the successful Force Friday event in 2015. The AR component will take the form of a treasure hunt, where fans visiting any of the 20,000 participating retail stores will be able to locate a ‘Find the Force’ graphic that, when scanned, will reveal a character in AR that users can then take pictures with and share on social media.
“Force Friday II is a major milestone in the countdown to Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Star Wars has always championed new technology, and we are excited that augmented reality will allow fans to experience the universe in a whole new way,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm.
“Force Friday II puts fans right at the center of the action using augmented reality to bring our characters to life like never before. The technology theme continues in the Star Wars: The Last Jedi product line, which is our most innovative yet – we can’t wait for fans to see what’s in store,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.
By sharing photos taken with the AR characters, fans will be able to enter into the Find the Force sweepstakes to win a ticket to the Star Wars: The Last Jedi première in December.
The event will take place on 1st-3rd September, 2017. Users will need to ensure they have the latest version of the Star Wars app to participate.
VRFocus will continue to report on new applications for AR technology.
Emerging technologies change how we do business. It happens to every industry, from medicine to logistics, and retail is no different. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are changing the paradigm for many retail companies by engaging customers in new and interesting ways.
Not everyone is aware of how VR and AR can impact their businesses, though. So to help you imagine the possibilities, we’ve put together the following list of things real companies are actually doing with the technology, specifically in the retail industry. By the time you’re done reading this, you should have a good idea of what VR and AR can do for you.
VR Applications for the Customer Experience
VR’s primary feature is its immersion. It transports the user to somewhere else, and allows them to visualize a fully-engaging reality. While most associate it with video games right now, it has numerous applications outside of that industry.
The Holoroom
Lowe’s has begun offering a revolutionary experience for those looking to remodel their homes. Called the Holoroom, it makes it possible for customers to see what their finished project might look like, comparing and contrasting different options for things such as paint colors, cabinetry, and appliances. The Holoroom can use measurements from the actual room to recreate the space, and then applies the customer’s choices to the mock up. The customer slips on a head-mounted display (HMD), and suddenly they’re standing in the finished room, designed to their specifications. This allows them to make style and color choices, ensuring they get just what they want the first time, which improves conversion rates.
Experience Enhancement
Toms—the shoe, eyewear, and coffee retailer—is using a different approach. They start with a one-for-one campaign, where every pair of shoes purchased also pays for a donation (a pair of shoes given to a needy child in Peru). Then they add the VR: an immersive video of the shoes actually being donated. Customers can see the actual impact their purchase is making in the lives of others, as if they had been there. It’s increasing brand loyalty, and support for the company’s efforts.
The New Reality
As unexpected as it is to have a shoe company pioneering VR experiences, Bullfrog Spas has come from even further out of left field. Using proprietary rigs to film a more intimate VR experience, they have created a series of VR-powered showroom sales kits designed to help sell their products. It’s working—leveraging their engaging and interactive experience, potential customers are given the opportunity to sit in the hot tubs and see them in action with no need of a bathing suit.
AR Applications
AR makes its mark by mixing the virtual with the real, usually by overlaying a virtual image on top of reality. Advantages here include accessibility, as most AR can be done on a tablet or a smartphone, as opposed to expensive HMDs. With regards to retail, it’s perhaps getting even more bang for its buck than VR.
For the Home
AR helps customers envision what products will look like in their home, with everything from TVs to furniture. Using devices they already own, the customer can see a visualization of what the couch, TV, or fridge would look like in the space they have. This helps them make decisions about things like size, shape, color, placement, and so forth. It helps them be more sure of the purchase, which makes for fewer returns and higher customer satisfaction.
For the Wardrobe
In a similar way, technology is emerging that makes it possible for shoppers to see what a product will look like while they’re wearing it. Smart mirrors, virtual makeup apps, and trying on virtual watches are all possible with the technology.
Both AR and VR are both in their infant stages, meaning what’s possible now is a fraction of what will be possible in the future. Buy-in to these technologies is also steadily increasing, which means staying ahead of competitors requires staying ahead of the learning curve. So whether you sell shoes or spas, you’re going to want a piece of the virtual pie.
We don’t all have the sort of environment required for room-scale virtual reality (VR) – and if we do have the space, we might not necessarily have all the required funds for equipment. Well if you’re interested in experiencing a large-scale, immersive VR experience, you might be in luck – Nomadic are attempting to open a retail VR centre near you.
Nomadic started up earlier this year and was founded by executives formerly of giant companies such as Apple, ILM, Disney and Electronic Arts. The dream is create untethered VR retail outlets across the world.
Now, Nomadic have secured $6 million in funds to expand their business, hoping this is just the start of their global venture. Doug Griffin, CEO of Nomadic, has said; “There’s currently a huge opportunity for out-of-home location-based VR. With the expertise and global reach of our funding partners, we have the support and resources to forge a new entertainment category, and a new medium for interactive storytelling.”
Nomadic already have everything in place to start opening VR attractions in a variety of places, such as cinemas, malls, airports and casinos. Nomadic’s equipment ensures these pop-up locations can happen anywhere – couple that with the staff’s background in film, gaming, set design and motion capture, and their potential is limitless.
“We’re coming to market as retailers are searching for a new, experiential way to entice consumers back into brick-and-mortar locations,” said Kalon Gutierrez, Head of Growth for Nomadic. “With the support of our funding partners, we’re providing existing venues with a turnkey solution to offer exciting, ever-changing tactile VR adventures that keep customers returning for more.”
Nomadic are sure to keep growing, and faster than ever – stay with VRFocus for all of the latest news on Nomadic and retail VR near you.
Called See It In Your Space, shoppers looking to snap up something from 
AR Applications