Using AR & Beacon Technology for Catalog App Development to Enhance User Experience

Let us start with a stat, shall we?

“40% online visitors would be willing to pay more for a product if they could experience it through augmented reality.”﹣Retail Perceptions.

Advancements in technology have already benefited the users that were almost hard to imagine a few years ago. Though many exciting innovations are yet to come in near future. And one of the most intriguing facts is the combination of the augmented reality with iBeacon technology and the number of mobile applications based on this revolutionary technology is growing rapidly. Businesses are keen to adopt to take the user experience of the Catalog app to a whole new level and accelerate overall growth.

But, how beacons and AR can actually benefit your business and can leverage the use of the Catalog app of your business? This article sets out the answer to these and other questions, as well as give you a number of real examples that demonstrates the use of capabilities of the AR and Beacon for Catalog app development.

AR Catalog App: Combination of Physical and Digital World

In Practice, Augmented reality is the superimposition of virtual world elements onto real-time visualizations of the physical world. Let’s take an example here. Say you have the AR Catalog app on your smartphone. When you open the Catalog app, you see the picture around you from the viewpoint of your phone’s camera. Moreover, you also see the digital information (text labels, computer-generated avatars, images, or icons) laid over it.

These computer generated images may be static or move dynamically on the screen. As you move your camera, the digital augmentations move or may also change with the context to the physical view. This blend of the physical and digital world offers many benefits of Catalog app to the users.

Examples of AR-VR based Online Retail Solutions

Let’s take the retail industry’s Catalog app as an example of something that can be completely changed by the use of AR.

Augmented Reality helps the retail industry solve numerous problems that are associated with selling through Catalog apps. It helps to get rid of in-app purchases or in-app ads and helps to focus on the physical goods instead.

Ikea App

Ikea Place, the Swedish furniture giant’s AR Catalog App uses his/her camera to superimpose the selected furniture in different locations in a room to see how they look and fit. A homemaker can select items of furniture from the retailer’s Catalog app.

IKEA Place helps shoppers virtually try items of furniture in their homes, before redirecting the users seamlessly to their website.

Image Source: Ikea

Augmented Reality can help the users make informed purchasing decisions without having to visit a physical outlet, or squat down in front of computers for hours of research.

Custom Mobile App for Virtual Try-on

Image Source: Style

Taking the case of the AR Catalog app of a cosmetic shop, it allows the cosmetic shoppers to apply virtual beauty products to their own selfie shots – just to visualize how well the product goes with the face. Similarly, LensKart also leverages augmented reality in its Catalog app.

The eCommerce mobile application supports the 3D try-on feature where you get a view of the glasses from different angles. This excites the buyers to try on their wares before they purchase them as one size may not fit all.

Role of Beacons

Though the combination of Augmented Reality with beacons is new to traditional retail, it provides the sense of being immersed in a special experience.

The experience starts with the Catalog app engagement at home and continues at the store itself, where shoppers can point their phone cameras at areas or items and see prices, discounts and promotions displayed on their screens.

Though, Augmented Reality is not limited only to downloadable mobile apps, as iBeacon based solutions are also enabling commercial hardware to display digital information to the shoppers. For example, fitting room mirrors having AR functionality, helps apparel shoppers see and try virtual items that match and coordinate with the garments they are physically trying on.

This states that Catalog app development can have a positive impact on customer service efficiency, customer loyalty and the shopping experience and ultimately pay off in monetary terms.

Final Say…

The combination of Augmented Reality and beacons has become the next big thing in the Catalog app and other mobile app sectors. Although in its infancy, the AR Catalog app has proven to be worthy in this present tech world.  Though many a times question arises that have we reached the limits of what AR can do? Will it prove to evolve dramatically in the upcoming years? Are we still going to see more AR-based apps in future? Everything depends on you and your vision.

As a leading augmented reality app development company, we build lifelike AR app experiences that provide a truly augmented touch to reality. Our AR apps run on a range of devices from iPhones and Android phones to HoloLens and smart glasses. We have been the pioneers in successfully delivering the Beacon/BLE solutions for a range of industries.

Contact our experts to discuss your brilliant idea and they will propose the best innovative solutions and take your business to the next level.