Augmented reality is now available on all smartphones, tablets and PCs. Faced with these technological developments, marketing and sales departments need to adapt and be able to seduce customers who are increasingly demanding in terms of the visual aspect of a product or service. Their objective: to make the purchasing process smoother and more personalised. Modelling tools can help sales staff by providing a virtual representation or digital mock-up of the product or service on offer. So what makes 2D and 3D modelling an effective sales support tool? Jean-Hugues Ferreira, customer experience specialist with field and marketing teams, explains.
Discover the fundamentals of virtual commerce or V-commerce.
V-commerce, what are the differences between virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality?
Virtual reality (VR): total immersion in a virtual world
Virtual reality immerses users in an entirely simulated world, often computer-generated. By wearing a VR headset or goggles, the user is completely immersed in a virtual environment, in a different space that is totally isolated from physical reality.
Priority should be given to the use of VR applications for V-commerce in physical points of sale. Few customers are equipped with this type of headset at home.
Augmented reality (AR): virtual elements to enhance the real world on smartphones and tablets
Augmented reality is the technology that enables people to superimpose images or information on their environment in real time. Using this technology, we can interact with our environment using a mobile device, tablet, PC or special glasses.
Augmented reality adds virtual elements to the real world via 3D models. This technology enhances the perception of physical reality by adding visual, auditory or sensory information, thereby also enriching the customer experience at certain points of contact.
Mixed reality (MR): a fusion between the virtual and the real on all types of screen
Mixed reality is a middle ground between VR and AR. It combines elements of the real and virtual worlds to create an interactive experience. Mixed reality users can see and interact with virtual objects and 3D holograms integrated into their real environment.
Mixed reality requires a headset or mixed reality glasses. This is a more complex and expensive device than a simple VR headset.
Read also: V-commerce, myth or reality?
V-commerce: how can 3D models be used?
Digital visualisation of buildings, decorations, cars, ready-to-wear clothing, luxury goods, online shopping with virtual fitting. Augmented reality and 3D models now account for the majority of consumer applications for V-commerce. In fact, according to a study by Foresight Factory, 25 % of millennials have already used augmented reality during a purchasing act in 2021.
The augmented reality application uses the smartphone's camera to capture the view of the environment in real time. The algorithms ofartificial intelligence (AI) detection systems analyse live video. They identify flat surfaces where the virtual elements can be placed.
Once the surface is detected, the application uses built-in sensors to track the position and orientation of the phone. This allows the virtual elements to remain attached to specific locations when the smartphone is moved.
Some computer screens (PCs), TVs and other large screens of the 'Workbench' type, equipped with increasingly high-performance panels, are beginning to incorporate advanced capture and tracking technologies that also facilitate immersion.
Some 3D showrooms are designed to provide highly immersive multi-sensory experiences via giant screens, sound and 3D tracking. But they remain anecdotal in V-commerce. The reason: high installation costs.
New digital tools for innovative customer experiences
What are the different modelling tools available to salespeople, account managers and marketers?
1. Augmented reality applications
ARKit (iOS) and ARCore (Android), Snapchat Try On and Instagram AR Filters...
These platforms enable marketing teams to create fun applications using augmented reality filters on smartphones.
2. E-commerce platforms with AR
Shopify AR, Magento Commerce and WebAR (Prestashop)...
These tools offer AR functionalities that enable online retailers to integrate virtual product trials into their e-commerce shops. The aim: to create more engaging experiences.
3. Virtual and mixed reality platforms
Oculus for Business, Magic Leap and HTC Viveport...
The solutions on offer enable brands to create experiences on VR and MR headsets or 3D showrooms.
A few examples
- In the decoration and construction sectors, there are a number of digital solutions to boost the customer experience and advice.
- Ikea Kreativ, Amazon AR View, Castorama Atomia, Houzz Déco: intuitive apps for configuring and personalising an interior space, then presenting it in augmented reality.
- Houzz Pro: an app dedicated to interior design project managers for modelling furniture and 3D previews of all the elements likely to be involved in renovation work, from floors to ceilings and walls.
- Vaillant ShowPoint, Daikin 3D, Panasonic: apps for technical sales staff to create visual renderings of air conditioning or heat pump installations.
- Seguin, JC Bordelet, MCZ: applications for sellers of wood-burning stoves, with a rendering that allows users to virtually test different models in an interior to advise their customers.
Some applications allow the creation of 2D and 3D plans and 3D visits to guide customers in their buying and building projects.. These are just some of the sales tools available to help homeowners, landlords and developers visualise their renderings. They can virtually explore different variants and options for their homes, and make the link with the prices on offer. This approach makes it easier for homeowners to make decisions, as they can request improvements or modifications before the work begins. They can also project themselves more easily into a long-term project comprising several phases.
The impact of V-commerce on ROI
- An effective lever for acquisition and loyalty
According to the GetApp study, 45 % of consumers say they are likely to buy more from brands offering immersive interactions.
- More engaging and entertaining sales experiences
According to the Foresight Factory study, 56% of consumers surveyed in France said that augmented reality had encouraged them to buy a product or service.
- A better customer experience
Christian Dior generated an ROI multiplied by 6.2 on a Snapchat campaign using augmented reality and offering to try on 6 different models of its new B27 sneakers.
- A reduction in stock costs, as virtual products do not need to be stored physically
What questions should you ask yourself when choosing the right modelling technology?
The QQOQCP project management method is used.
- Who is the target?
- What products and services are concerned?
- Where are the key contact points in the customer journey?
- How long will it take to implement these tools?
- How to choose the right immersive tools with relevant KPIs and ROIs?
- Why would these tools improve the overall customer experience?
The he changing retail model is leading to massive investment in V-commerce solutions that are redefining a new standard of customer experience. This translates into striking, personalised mixed and augmented reality digital experiences via the smartphones and tablets of sales teams.
These new tools can be integrated into any single- or multi-channel customer journey, but they are even better suited to cross-channel and omni-channel marketing, as certain customer journeys can be completely digitised. These are just some of the challenges facing marketing and sales teams, enabling them to enrich and trigger the act of buying with fewer resources.
