Wherever shoppers roam on the Web, they expect to find robust information about products to help inform purchase decisions. Microsoft is the latest tech giant to invest in Web-based 3D and AR to meet that expectation and seize the lead on innovative immersive experiences.
The rise of online and mobile shopping, social media, third-party marketplaces, pop-up retail, and other commerce innovations have transformed the path to purchase from a straightforward progression to an odyssey. More than four in five shoppers now seek out online resources to inform buying decisions and boost confidence in their selections, leveraging upwards of three touch points prior to purchase.
Maintaining comprehensive, accurate, and consistent product content has become a holy grail for sellers, with the goal sometimes proving elusive as the number of online and offline touch points grow.
To ensure content is available wherever shoppers seek it, brands are investing like never before in product information management and syndication tools, with the product information management sector forecast to grow 25% in 2020. Those investments are not only helping brands syndicate text and image feeds to direct-to-consumer marketplaces and advertising outlets such as Google Shopping; they’re also taking advantage of new technology to share next-generation immersive commerce experiences using 3D and AR across the web.
Gartner estimates that by year’s end, 46% of retailers will have deployed AR features to support the customer experience. So far, though, brand manufacturers have been slower to join the immersive commerce revolution. Like other sellers, they struggle with 3D and AR asset creation, optimization across devices and browsers, management, analytics tracking, and delivery to multiple touchpoints.
Computing giant Microsoft is in the vanguard of manufacturers developing 3D and AR content that will help their customers make better purchase decisions and give them realistic product experiences. (Full disclosure: Microsoft is a Vertebrae client). For example, shoppers considering Microsoft’s Surface Pro X laptops can rotate and flip the embedded 3D image, zoom in on ports and buttons to assess compatibility and function, and see how a hidden pen tray opens and closes — telling the product story in a way that is nearly impossible to do with 2D imagery alone.
Shoppers can also place the augmented products in real-life context to gauge dimensions. As they choose keyboard and laptop case colors, the selections are configured in real time, enabling visitors to view fully-customized products before hitting the ‘buy’ button.
These assets are ready to deploy wherever consumers shop — from Google search results to retail partner sites to social networks — giving Microsoft agility that gives them a decided edge over competitors.
This is just one example of how Microsoft is developing and delivering innovative online content wherever shoppers search for products. But it’s a good lesson for any brand who wants to use web-based 3D and AR to deliver cutting-edge, immersive experiences across multiple touchpoints, driving sales both directly and through retail partners.
Rob Weaver is chief revenue officer at Vertebrae.