Virtual Reality for eCommerce: Changing the Industry
According to some researchers, an astonishing 77.24 percent of online shoppers leave their carts abandoned without completing a purchase. This is bad news for e-commerce businesses.
What’s more, with ever-changing technology, it has never been more important for brands to stay at the top of the game where online sales are concerned.
Over the years there have been many eCommerce development solutions but none quite as innovative as virtual reality.
Frequently used in gaming and entertainment, this concept is now moving over into the world of business and those taking advantage of it are about to see a huge shift in their success.
In the last ten years, online purchases have increased by an impressive three times, according to the national office of statistics and this figure only looks set to increase further.
The savvy eCommerce business owners are looking towards virtual reality to make the most of this.
Benefits of Using Virtual Reality for eCommerce
Gone are the days when people had to hop on the bus or take a walk into town when they suddenly developed an urge for a new pair of shoes or the latest home appliance.
The internet has given us the ability to buy whatever we please, whenever we please so it comes as a little surprise that eCommerce businesses are killing it where sales are concerned.
By implementing a virtual reality element to your eCommerce site, you will likely notice a wealth of benefits, let’s explore these a little further.
Improve User Experience
When browsing a website, one of the key aspects that anyone looks for is good user experience. The user wants to easily navigate a page, be presented with relevant information, and not have to search through hundreds of products to find what they are looking for.
One of the major benefits of VR is that this can be easily achieved through the implementation of a virtual store.
Particularly useful for those who cannot get to a physical store but still want the benefit of looking around, a VR showroom is an essential tool in the arsenal of any online retailer and will provide the user with a smooth, easy and enjoyable experience.
Save on Rental
For businesses looking to eliminate costs on often pricey store rentals, VR offers the ideal solution.
Additionally, without the physical location, you will also save money on display units, furnishings, and other items that are required for a functioning store.
Moreover, your clients will be able to access your virtual reality store whenever they please.
Customers Feel More Certain About Purchasing
One of the reasons that so many people are wary of making an online purchase is that they cannot get a good idea of what the product will look like.
This problem is significantly eased when using virtual and augmented reality as rather than a flat 2D image on their computer screen, the customer will be presented with a realistic representation of the product.
This will likely lead to further sales since more people will be confident in what they are buying. This may also lead to a lower return rate.
Target All Markets
Once upon a time, virtual reality required specific hardware to be able to be used however, this is all changing.
With many VR applications now available on mobile devices, eCommerce websites can target both the user at the laptop as well as the on-the-go shopper.
Never has it been so easy to deliver an exceptional experience to all areas of the market.
Increase Shopping Time
Virtual reality, whilst a relatively old concept, is not something that many people have experienced properly. With the implementation of such features appearing on eCommerce websites, users are now able to immerse themselves in this virtual world.
This may translate to the shopper spending longer periods in your online store, which may then lead to further purchases.
Real future of eCommerce
It isn’t difficult to see that, as technology develops, the way we shop online develops too and one of the major new players in eCommerce is the virtual reality store.
The real future of eCommerce may lie in consumers being able to virtually browse a showroom and try before they buy leading to a boost in sales and fewer returns and many online retailers are getting in on the action, therefore changing the eCommerce industry.
What’s most exciting?
We get to watch these historical changes unfold before our very eyes.
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