AR for WooCommerce? How Augmented Reality Can Help Your eCommerce Store

AR for WooCommerce? How Augmented Reality Can Help Your eCommerce Store
  • 6 min read

Buying something online, with your credit card or virtual currency, and on your phone? Who would have thought we’d be doing that twenty years ago? The eight trillion dollar eCommerce industry just keeps getting bigger. It’s also evolving. 

Social selling is expected to be responsible for 10% of that eight trillion dollars in the next couple of years. That’s right. People are spending hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing items on social media platforms. Got an online store?  This is your wake-up call.

Social selling is just another example of how we’re constantly seeking innovative ways to captivate our customers. Fast, free delivery was yesterday. Today, people expect their shopping experience to be exceptional – intuitive, seamless, but also memorable.

What’s another way to up your eCommerce game? Well, one technology that has gained significant traction in recent years is Augmented Reality (AR). Where do you find a lot of AR selling? Right; on social media platforms. From Snapchat to YouTube to Instagram, social platforms have really jumped on the AR bandwagon. Time for you to.

By blending digital content with the real world, AR is a unique opportunity to enhance the online shopping journey of your WooCommerce store. Let’s check that out.

“Social selling is using social media platforms to sell your products. It can include influencers and user-submitted photos but it doesn’t always. Harnessing social selling means going native – sell your products the way the platform wants you to.”

Rocket.net- Why Instagram Social Selling Drives WooCommerce Success

The Power of Augmented Reality in eCommerce

Augmented Reality can change the way your customers interact with your online products. By overlaying digital information onto the physical world, AR allows shoppers to see products in their own space before making a purchase decision. That was the only problem with online shopping – you can’t touch anything.

AR’s virtual “hands-on” approach makes your products more tangible. That makes all the difference in an online purchase decision.

The result? Better engagement, fewer returns, and increased customer confidence. And it’s pretty cool.

If you have a WooCommerce store, integrating AR can make for a really competitive edge. Do your competitors have it yet? An innovative and engaging experience attracts and retains customers, ultimately driving sales and improving brand loyalty.

AR isn’t a gimmick. It’s the next step in shopping: bricks and mortar > online stores > mobile and social shopping > AR shopping “virtual touch.”

“Product presentation is even more important online than offline. Why? You can’t touch what you’re about to buy. It’s all about tangibility. To overcome the intangibility constraint of online shopping, you need a richer product.”

Rocket.net – Top 3 WooCommerce Customizations For a Memorable Shopping Experience

Remind Me: What’s the Difference Between AR and VR?

If you’re a gamer, you probably already have experience in the virtual world. Virtual reality (VR) creates a fully immersive, computer-generated environment viewed through a headset, replacing your actual surroundings. VR applications are pretty common in entertainment, training, and education.

Augmented reality (AR) lets you virtually try on products, like clothing or accessories, or place furniture in a living or workspace, before purchasing. The tech integrates digital content like images, videos, and 3D models into the real world through a device’s camera.

IKEA was one of the first to use this concept back in 2017.  The Ikea Place app lets customers see how furniture looks in a room before buying.

The key difference between VR and AR is that AR blends digital and physical worlds, while VR replaces reality entirely with a virtual one. 

Both offer unique benefits and challenges across various industries, but it’s AR that’s the real online shopping game-changer.

“More than 90% of Americans currently use or would consider using AR for shopping. 98% of those who have used AR while shopping found it helpful.”

ThinkwithGoogle

Benefits of Augmented Reality for WooCommerce Stores

Before building an online shop, we think about how it can stand out from existing eCommerce sites. We do this right from the design phase. That’s why we are constantly on the lookout for interesting apps and enhancements. 

AR is still new enough to significantly improve the shopping experience in our stores.

With AR, customers can virtually see products from different stores without having to travel. We all love saving time, right?

Enhanced Product Visualization

With AR, customers can see products in their own space. Online shopping suddenly becomes more realistic. If you’re selling clothing, accessories, furniture, or home décor, this is a game changer. Where size and fit matter, AR is one up over traditional online shops.

Reduced Returns

Any uncertainty means shoppers will hedge their bets. How many of us have bought a couple of items just in case? And online shopping means free and easy returns. Good for customers, and bad for businesses. 

AR can help minimize the risk of returns due to false expectations or sizing issues. This saves your store money while improving customer satisfaction.

Increased Engagement and Conversion Rates

Browsing just got interesting again! The novelty and interactivity of AR mean increased engagement. Just make sure you sell something too! Shoppers are more likely to make a purchase when they can see a product fulfilling a specific need. If you can touch something, you can connect with it.

Competitive Advantage

As we said, integrating AR into your WooCommerce store can really set you apart from competitors. Shoppers are bombarded with online shopping options. What differentiates your store from other stores?

Improved Customer Experience

Augmented Reality is still cool; use that to your benefit. Anything that enhances the overall customer experience is shareable and stays top of mind. A happy customer is a repeat customer.

As the demand for immersive and personalized shopping experiences continues to grow, embracing Augmented Reality can be a game-changer for WooCommerce store owners. 

By leveraging this cutting-edge technology, businesses can not only enhance their online presence but also foster customer loyalty and drive long-term success in the competitive eCommerce landscape.

How Can I Integrate AR into WooCommerce?

You can integrate AR functionality into a WooCommerce store in three ways: through the use of dedicated plugins, third-party solutions, or with a customized solution.

Integration requires installing the plugin, configuring the settings, and uploading 3D models or specifying the products you want to enable AR for. The time-consuming part of augmented reality is creating the 3D models.

Here are some ways to incorporate AR into your WooCommerce store:

  • AR Plugin or Custom Development: There are several plugins available that integrate AR into WooCommerce stores with minimal coding. Alternatively, you can hire a developer to create a custom AR integration tailored to your requirements.
  • AR for WooCommerce Plugin: This plugin allows you to integrate 3D models directly into your product pages. It supports various 3D file formats like USDZ, GLB, GLTF, and more. Your customers will be able to view and interact with products in AR using their mobile devices without needing to download a separate app.
  • CartMagician WooCommerce AR Plugin: This is a premium solution that allows you to add WebAR files directly to your WooCommerce store.

By incorporating AR into your WooCommerce store, you can provide customers with an immersive shopping experience. They can visualize products in their own environment before making a purchase decision, which is pretty cool if you think about it. 

A better shopping experience means increased engagement, reduced product returns, and a competitive advantage over stores without AR capabilities.

What About System Requirements?

To integrate augmented reality (AR) into a WooCommerce store, there are four important considerations: website, content, proper hosting, and of course your customers.

WordPress/WooCommerce Website: Since WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, you need a self-hosted WordPress website with WooCommerce installed to integrate AR capabilities. A managed hosting package is best for eCommerce sites.*

3D Product Models: You will need 3D models of your products in compatible file formats like USDZ, GLB, GLTF, etc. These 3D models are what customers see “in the real”. If you don’t have existing 3D models, you may need to hire a 3D modeling service or agency.*

*Don’t forget your Hosting Requirements: Depending on the number of 3D models and AR interactions, you will need improved server resources to ensure smooth performance. Don’t choose your hosting to save money. Buy fewer lattes

Mobile Devices with Cameras: For the best AR experience, your customers will need the best smartphones or tablets. They will need cameras capable of viewing the 3D product models overlaid in their real environment. Google specs | Apple specs.

*WooCommerce offers more info in their Minimum Installation Requirements:

While the plugin installation is relatively straightforward, preparing 3D models and ensuring mobile compatibility are the key requirements for successfully integrating AR into your WooCommerce store. Having a dedicated AR development team can help optimize the AR experience across devices.

Augmented Reality Lets You Bridge the Tangibility Gap

If your WooCommerce store offers products customers want to see, augmented reality is a game-changer.  By letting customers virtually touch and place products, you eliminate the guesswork and uncertainty of online shopping.

Like any immersive experience, AR empowers customers. They are more confident in their purchasing decisions, which potentially boosts conversions and lowers return rates. AR takes the ambiguity out of online shopping.

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