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Welcome back everyone! This week will be all about E-Commerce and how it has shifted with things like augmented reality (AR).
E-Commerce is defined as "the buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the internet." There are multiple different kinds of e-commerce business models, the main four include:
Business to Business (B2B)
This e-commerce type refers to the exchange that occurs between businesses. Here, an e-commerce business sells to another business. An example is software-as-a-service.
Business to Consumer (B2C)
This popular e-commerce model involves companies selling their products or services directly to the the consumer who needs it. This would include Amazon, Netflix, Uber, etc.
Consumer to Consumer (C2C)
Some e-commerce platforms are like digital marketplaces connecting consumers. An example would be eBay or Facebook marketplace.
Consumer to Business (C2B)
For this type of e-commerce, consumers sell their products and services to businesses. For example, a photographer sells their photos to companies so that they can use them for ads or social media campaigns. This would also include most other freelance work.
One of the challenges in online shopping has always been the inability to physically interact with products before purchasing them. Augmented reality addresses this issue by offering immersive product visualization.
Through AR applications, customers can virtually place products in their own physical space using their smart devices. This allows them to see how a piece of furniture fits into their living room or how a pair of shoes looks on their feet, providing a more realistic and personalized shopping experience.
AR has begun to be integrated in to social media platforms such as Snapchat.
Snapchat has ventured into the realm of e-commerce with its AR shopping features. Users can now try on products virtually using AR lenses before making a purchase. Snapchat's AR shopping bridges the gap between online and offline retail, providing an interactive way for users to make informed purchasing decisions.
Snapchat has altered AR creation through its Lens Studio, allowing users and developers to design and share their AR experiences. This has resulted in a diverse ecosystem of user-generated lenses, expanding the creative possibilities of AR on the platform. Lens Studio has empowered a wide range of individuals to contribute to the ever-growing world of Snapchat's AR.
One example of an AR-powered shopping experience on Snapchat lets users customize and virtually try on a pair of Nike Air Force 1s. The filter prompts you to toggle through and change the color and texture of 13 different parts of the sneakers before hitting the “try on” button to see a digital 360-degree overlay of what they would look like on your feet. If you like what you see, you can click “shop now” to immediately purchase the pair you’ve designed.
In a nutshell, our dive into E-Commerce and augmented reality (AR) reveals just how much technology is transforming online shopping. The blend of these technologies discussed is beginning to overcome the challenge of not being able to touch products online. This suggests a future where online shopping becomes not just easy but also fun and personalized, thanks to the evolving relationship between AR and E-Commerce.
Thanks for reading & happy AR-ing :)