8 AR Shopping Apps that Every eCommerce Brand Should Be Using

Let's admit it: Many of us have thought, “Will it really look like this?” while shopping online. Perhaps that sofa you bought looks enormous in your living room, or the shoes you envisioned don’t look quite right when you try them on. This is exactly where augmented reality (AR) comes into play!

AR offers customers not just shopping, but an experience. It’s now possible to bring products into your home, onto your body, or into your life without leaving anything to the imagination. So, who is making the best use of this magical technology? Let’s take a look at the 8 AR shopping apps every e-commerce brand should explore!

Key Insights

- Augmented Reality (AR) is transforming the shopping experience: AR merges the physical and digital worlds, eliminating uncertainties in online shopping. Customers can see products in their real environments, allowing for more informed purchasing decisions.

- It boosts customer satisfaction: AR technology helps visualize products, preventing customers from making poor decisions. This reduces return rates and increases customer satisfaction.

- It offers brands a chance to increase sales: AR provides an interactive and fun shopping experience, helping brands increase conversion rates. This technology has huge potential for accelerating sales and building loyal customer bases.

- Apps play a key role: To use this new technology effectively, brands need to invest in the right AR applications. A good AR app enhances the customer experience and can also improve operational efficiency.

- Brands are not hesitating to invest in AR tools: Brands have realized that AR is an effective tool, and as a result, they are not hesitating to invest in the technology. This trend shows that AR is not just limited to big brands but is being adopted by small businesses as well.

What is AR and How is it Changing Shopping?

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that fundamentally changes the shopping experience by merging the digital world with physical reality. By integrating virtual objects and information into your physical environment, AR is no longer just a part of science fiction films; it has become an important element of our daily lives.

Traditional online shopping often involves significant uncertainty for customers. Questions like, “How will this clothing look on me?” or “Will this lamp fit in my living room?” can make many people hesitant about shopping online. That’s where AR comes in to solve these problems. Now, you can instantly see how a lamp will look in your living room or if a pair of glasses will suit your facial features—all from the comfort of your home.

These interactive experiences provided by AR not only improve customer satisfaction but also increase brands' sales and conversion rates. Return rates decrease, customer trust increases, and shopping even becomes a fun experience, rather than a monotonous process.

So, which apps are brands using to connect customers with this technology? Here are some of the AR apps that are making a difference!

1. Google Lens

Google Lens is an augmented reality (AR) app that allows users to gather information via images and cameras. It uses visual search and object recognition technology, enabling users to obtain detailed information about an object when they look at it with their phone's camera. Additionally, for e-commerce brands, it holds great potential in product recognition and offering interactive experiences.

How it Works

Google Lens provides information when users focus on an object or product. For example, when someone scans a product with their phone, Lens can offer details like pricing, manufacturer information, and a list of similar products. E-commerce brands can integrate their products with Google Lens, enabling users to be directly redirected to the purchase page when viewing products.

Google Lens also allows text recognition, translation, and other AR interactions, enabling brands to offer interactive content. Google Lens holds a wide range of applications for e-commerce brands, particularly in product discovery, interactive shopping experiences, and visual search features.

Benefits of Google Lens

- Product Discovery: Customers can find and purchase products they couldn't locate in physical stores or online platforms by scanning them with Google Lens.

- Visual Search and Interaction: When users take a photo of a product, Google Lens can display similar products or pricing details. This helps users easily compare different options.

- SEO and Marketing: Google Lens's product recognition features can help brands improve their search engine optimization (SEO). With proper tagging and content creation, products can rank higher in visual search results.

- Interactive Shopping Experience: As users explore a product, Google Lens can guide them directly to the product's purchase page. This presents an excellent sales opportunity for e-commerce brands.

How Brands Can Use Google Lens

- Visual Recognition: Products, objects, or text captured by the camera are quickly recognized, offering users details, similar products, and purchasing options.

- AR Experience: Products, especially clothing or furniture, can be virtually experienced through Google Lens.

- Online and Offline Purchasing: Google Lens can easily redirect users to online purchase links for products found in physical stores.

2. Shopify AR

Shopify AR is a powerful platform that enables brands to integrate augmented reality (AR) technology into their e-commerce stores. This technology allows users to view products in 3D format and interact with them in a virtual environment. Shopify AR, by making online shopping a more interactive and personalized experience, helps users make more informed decisions about products. As a result, brands can offer their customers more innovative shopping experiences.

Advantages of Shopify AR

- Increases Conversion Rates: 3D and AR content draws more attention to shopping, which can significantly boost conversion rates.

- Improves Customer Experience: Customers can see how products look in real-world environments, allowing them to make more informed purchase decisions. This enhances customer satisfaction and reduces return rates.

- Provides a Competitive Edge: Brands using AR technology can differentiate themselves from competitors and establish an innovative image.

- Easy Integration: Shopify offers a variety of applications and tools compatible with AR technology, providing seamless solutions for store owners wanting to use AR.

How Brands Can Use Shopify AR

- Product Visualization: Brands can showcase their products in 3D, allowing customers to view them from different angles. This feature is particularly effective in industries such as fashion, furniture, and accessories.

- Virtual Try-On Experiences: Virtual try-on options can be provided for products like clothing, shoes, or furniture, enabling customers to experience the product in a virtual setting and making purchasing decisions easier.

- Product Customization: Customers can experience customization options for products through AR. Personalized products can enhance customer loyalty and make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

3. Threekit

Threekit is a platform that enables brands to present their products interactively and visually in a digital environment. This technology allows customers to view products in 3D, virtually customize them, and interact with augmented reality (AR) experiences. Threekit particularly facilitates the online sales of complex and customizable products, helping brands enrich the customer experience.

Advantages of Threekit

- Increase Conversion Rates: Interactive and visually rich product experiences can accelerate purchase decisions and increase conversion rates.

- Enhance Customer Experience: Customers can experience products virtually, leading to more informed purchase decisions. This improves customer satisfaction and reduces return rates.

- Gain a Competitive Advantage: By using AR and 3D technologies, brands can differentiate themselves from competitors and create an innovative image.

How Brands Can Use Threekit

- Product Visualization: Brands can showcase their products in 3D, allowing customers to view the products from different angles virtually.

- Virtual Try-On Experiences: Virtual try-on options can be offered for products such as clothing, shoes, or furniture, enabling customers to experience the product in a virtual setting and making purchasing decisions easier.

- Product Customization: Customers can experience product customization options through AR. This can increase customer loyalty and make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

4. Houzz

Houzz is a comprehensive digital platform for home decoration, interior design, landscaping, and home improvement projects. By using Houzz, users can discover inspiring photos, access professional services, purchase furniture and décor products, and create their own projects. Using Apple’s ARKit infrastructure, Houzz brings together millions of homeowners and professional designers from around the world in one community.

Advantages of Houzz

- High-Resolution Photos: Houzz offers more than 25 million photos, allowing homeowners and designers to draw inspiration from various design styles. Users can get detailed visuals of how different rooms, exteriors, or landscapes will look.

- Product and Material Sales: Houzz provides users with over 5 million products, including furniture, décor items, appliances, lighting systems, and construction materials. These products can be purchased directly through the app. Brands can promote their products on this platform, reaching a wide customer base.

- Connecting with Home Professionals: Houzz makes it easy for users to connect with professionals for interior design, construction, renovation, landscaping, and more. Over 3 million home professionals and designers offer their services through Houzz. Users can review these professionals and select the ones most suitable for their projects.

- Creative and Educational Content: Houzz offers guides, how-to videos, and expert articles to help users with project management. Houzz TV allows users to watch inspiring videos about home décor and renovations.

How Brands Can Use Houzz

- Product Promotion and Sales: Brands can showcase their products on Houzz and sell directly to customers. Houzz is an ideal platform for brands in the home décor and interior design fields. By using photos, video content, and descriptions, brands can reach a wide audience.

- Effective Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Houzz provides advanced filtering and targeting tools that allow brands to analyze user interests. This helps brands create more effective marketing campaigns aimed at their target audience. Additionally, Houzz offers sponsorship opportunities and collaborations for brands.

- Market Research and Reviews: Brands can leverage user reviews and feedback to improve their products. Houzz is a rich platform in terms of customer experiences and user reviews. Brands can use this feedback to increase customer satisfaction.

- Collaborations and Professional Connections: Houzz allows brands to connect with experts providing professional services in home design, interior decoration, and other industries. This enables brands to collaborate on projects and create more comprehensive and enriched content.

5. YouCam Makeup

YouCam Makeup is an app that uses augmented reality (AR) technology to allow users to experience virtual makeup applications. Users can scan their faces to instantly try makeup, receive skincare suggestions, and virtually test beauty products. The app currently collaborates with major brands like L'Oréal, Target, and Estée Lauder. Cosmetics brands can showcase their inventory and reach millions of users by using YouCam Makeup’s AR application without developing and marketing their own branded AR software.

Advantages of YouCam Makeup

- Virtual Makeup Try-Ons: Users can virtually try different makeup styles and colors on their faces. By receiving instant feedback, they can discover which shades and styles suit them best.

- Skincare and Analysis: The app analyzes the user's skin type, offering skincare recommendations and product suggestions. It also allows users to see virtual representations of skin issues (e.g., acne, wrinkles).

- Extensive Product Catalog: YouCam Makeup features products from popular brands, including lipsticks, foundations, blushes, and more. Users can try these products virtually and make purchases directly.

- Real-Time Filters and Effects: The app allows users to apply real-time effects and filters to their faces, helping them create different makeup looks.

How Brands Can Use YouCam Makeup

- Product Promotion and Sales: Brands can enable users to experience their products digitally on their faces, promoting products through virtual makeup trials. Beauty brands can increase sales by showcasing new products to potential customers through these experiences.

- Customer Engagement and Experience: YouCam Makeup can help brands increase interest in their products by facilitating user interaction. Virtual makeup trials can accelerate users' decision-making process, especially in online shopping.

- Social Media Integration: The app encourages users to share their makeup looks on social media platforms. Brands can leverage organic marketing opportunities by having users share their virtual makeup creations online.

- Contests and Events: Brands can collaborate with YouCam Makeup to organize contests and encourage users to share their virtual makeup experiences. These events can effectively boost brand awareness and increase user engagement.

6. Augment

Augment allows brands to visualize their products using augmented reality (AR) technology. This app enables users to view products digitally in the real world through the camera of a smartphone or tablet. Products appear in their real-world size and environment, allowing customers to experience them virtually.

Advantages of Augment

- Product Visualization: Augment enables brands to visualize their products in 3D, helping customers see how the products will look in their actual environment. This facilitates more informed purchase decisions.

- Interactive Experience: The app provides an interactive experience for virtual product trials, particularly beneficial in e-commerce and retail sectors. Customers can rotate products 360 degrees, zoom in, and interact with their surroundings.

- Sales and Marketing Benefits: Augment allows sales teams to present products more effectively. In retail, showing products in their real environment can help sales representatives convince potential buyers faster.

- Training and Presentations: Augment can also be used for product training materials. AR demonstrations can be conducted for complex machines or equipment, allowing users to learn better.

How Brands Can Use Augment

- E-Commerce and Online Sales: Augment enhances the online shopping experience. Customers can see products virtually in their own space, leading to a safer and more confident purchasing decision.

- In-Retail Use: In stores, Augment allows customers to virtually try products and compare options, potentially increasing in-store engagement and sales.

- Marketing and Advertising Campaigns: Brands can create interactive marketing campaigns with AR content. Virtual experiences for special events, product launches, or campaigns can increase customer engagement.

7. Vuforia

Vuforia is a software development kit (SDK) used to create augmented reality (AR) applications. It allows developers to recognize and track real-world objects using mobile device cameras, enabling virtual content to interact with these objects. This makes virtual objects appear as though they exist in the real-world environment.

Advantages of Vuforia

- Advanced Image Recognition: Vuforia uses advanced computer vision technology to recognize and track various targets with high accuracy.

- Support for Various Target Types: Vuforia supports different types of targets, including image targets, 3D model targets, and VuMarks.

- Wide Device Compatibility: Vuforia is compatible with devices running on different platforms, such as Android, iOS, and UWP.

How Brands Can Use Vuforia

- Product Demonstrations and Showcases: Brands can display their products in 3D, allowing customers to view them from various angles virtually.

- Interactive Marketing Campaigns: Vuforia enables brands to create interactive AR experiences that allow consumers to explore products in greater depth.

- Training and Guidance Applications: Vuforia allows the creation of AR experiences that provide step-by-step guidance for employees in industrial and commercial settings.

8. GIPHY World

GIPHY World is an application that uses augmented reality (AR) technology to allow users to integrate GIFs into their real-world environment. This app lets users place GIFs around them to create interactive and fun content.

Advantages of GIPHY World

- Interactive Content Creation: Users can add GIFs to their surroundings to create creative and interactive content, making social media posts more engaging.

- Easy Sharing: The AR scenes created can be saved as videos and shared on social media platforms. Additionally, users can generate a link to share with friends.

- Large GIF Library: GIPHY World provides access to GIPHY's vast collection of GIFs, allowing users to select from a wide range of categories.

How Brands Can Use GIPHY World

- Interactive Marketing Campaigns: Brands can use AR technology to create creative and interactive content while promoting their products. This can enhance customer engagement and strengthen brand awareness.

- Social Media Engagement: GIPHY World helps brands make their social media posts more engaging. The AR features facilitate deeper interactions with followers.

- Special Events and Launches: Creating AR experiences for new product launches or special events can increase attendee interest and offer an unforgettable experience.

Ask artlabs for the Key to the Road Ahead!

Providing your customers with an unforgettable shopping experience, showcasing your products interactively, and boosting your sales has never been this fun. With Artlabs' AR solutions, your brand will come to life in the virtual world, and your customers will enjoy the shopping experience by interacting with your products through AR. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll enjoy working with an innovative solution partner in a world where AR becomes the norm. Come on, take advantage of all the benefits AR offers and shine your brand in the digital world! Contact our professional team today to take the first step.