Today’s guest post comes from The Blue Space who discuss the idea that augmented reality is changing the online bathroom shopping experience.
Augmented Reality is the new way to shop online. With a renovation boom and so many of us going into lockdown and online shopping, augmented reality has never been a more important part of our online offer benefiting both the business and consumer.
Shopping for bathroom products online is not a traditional retail sector, so it is not always an easy task for consumers and can sometimes require seeing the products in person for that extra reassurance on the colour, shape, and size before spending money on an investment item or high value item. By offering Augmented Reality, we have been able to engage customers and allow them to interact directly with the products, making online shopping for products more tangible. The Blue Space has brought the experience of in store shopping to the customers home, and made the online bathroom shopping experience even better with Augmented Reality.
The Blue Space’s Augmented Reality has created an easy, simplified, and inspiring shopping experience to the customers home that they may get in a traditional bricks and mortar store. Customers can now place products directly in their home to see the true size of the product, put it where they imagine the product to go, and see whether that style is for them. This has added that reassurance a lot of customers crave when shopping for their home at home. Customers are able to visually picture what that specific tapware colour or shape will look like in their space. On a desktop, you can simply click on the 3D model and you will be able to rotate the product in every angle to get a better idea of what the product looks like.
“Our Augmented Reality collection includes the best selling products from leading Australian brands including Caroma, Clark, Dorf, Phoenix Tapware, Thermogroup, and Fienza. All in top trending fixture colours loved by all Interior Designers and Builders, including matte black, brushed brass and brushed gold, brushed nickel, gunmetal, and of course the classic chrome. For customers who have never shopped for bathroom products online, our AR feature comes as a great help. The ability to upsell a customer from a classic chrome to a trendy brushed brass also comes into picture, especially those who are on the fence about switching from a safe traditional look to a more modern and statement piece.”
Josh Mammoliti, Managing Director.
Our customers have loved using this feature in their home. The Blue Space Interior Designer, Sabrina says, “Being an online business, the Augmented Reality feature has helped me show customers what a specific style or design of product can look like in their space. This feature has especially helped me as we work from home. Our customers always feel more comfortable with their decision once they see it in their space.”
The Blue Space customer, Ian, has recently undergone a bathroom renovation. At the time he was unable to show his trades where he wanted his new fixtures and fittings installed, “So using the Augmented Reality (AR) feature on the The Blue Space website I took photos and sent them to the bathroom guy! Love it!!”
The most popular products being looked at include basin taps, showers, and bathroom accessories. Customers are loving being able to see the products in real life sizing. They are able to envision the true width, length, and height of the products because sometimes looking at it on a ruler is just not enough.
The ‘try before you buy’ mentality is often a concern for an increase in returns. With an Augmented Reality functionality, this reduces returns entirely as customers feel more confident in their decision. For purchases involving renovation products, ‘trying before buying’ is not always an option. With building timelines changing, trades needing things urgently, and backorders, there is an urgency for products. By incorporating an AR model onto our website, we have been able to reduce returns, minimise exchanges, and even encourage upsells.
For online businesses, creating new and exciting content is always on the forefront of marketing. With many businesses going online, the race to having the most innovative offers and enticing content is never ending. The Augmented Reality feature is an added selling point to your business. Encourage customers to interact with your website, and have fun while they shop online. Showing a tap or shower floating in your space makes that shopping experience way more fun! An experience that not even a traditional storefront can offer.
To see how The Blue Space’s Augmented Reality works on its website, watch this video here.
