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By Alina Timofeeva

1. Drive Sales AR can drive sales by “placing” products in the environment before purchase. For example, customers can “try on” a product and see how it looks on them or place it in their houses. After the attachment with the product has been created, customers are more likely to buy it.
2. Enhance Print Media Advertising. Augmented reality can easily enhance commercial ads in magazines and newspapers, facilitating new interactive features that let customers buy products off the page. AR presents readers with click-to-buy icons so they can purchase items through their smartphones and tablets by scanning AR-enabled images in press or outdoor ads while they are on the go.
3. Create Shopping Lists and Do Price Comparison. M-commerce-oriented AR apps are designed to improve shopping experience and customer satisfaction, therefore, increasing sales and brand equity. For example, using the smartphone’s camera, an AR app can “read” barcodes and recognise simple objects, such as CD or DVD covers, allowing users to do basic price comparison shopping and create shopping lists. These simple but engaging features are designed to make sure that your products stand out and will stay in the customer’s shopping list, consequently, increasing the likelihood that the products will be purchased.
4. Replicate in-store experience. The e-commerce or m-commerce experience is designed to take the shopping environment to the consumer instead of the consumer physically going to the shop. AR apps replicate in-person browsing and trying-on. AR, united with a spotless mobile shopping experience, is a fascinated opportunity to bring the best of your store right into shoppers’ smartphones and tablets. Customers can digitally check the price, view a 3D model, “try on” clothes, and then seamlessly order it.
5. Social shopping. AR mobile apps engage shoppers before during and after the sale, encouraging them to instantly share products, which they have “tried on” and “placed in their houses” for peer review. These features make online shopping less lonely and purchasing decisions more instant.
6. Window Shopping Transformed with AR. AR makes storefronts interactive by bringing exclusive videos of the catwalk to smartphones and providing product information, 3D product models, pricing and the ability to purchase the product. Evidence shows that AR-enabled storefronts can lift sales up to 85% within a couple of weeks.
7. Increase in-store experience. Not only can AR bring shopping experience to consumers, it can also increase the in-store shopping experience. AR apps let in-store shoppers instantly see star ratings and feedback from other shoppers who’ve already purchased the items around them. These apps can make it easy to find additional sizes or styles online, and order them for home delivery or store pickup. There is no need to visit one retailer and then buy online from another.
8. Differentiate your business from competitors. Mobile shopping is becoming a must-have for retailers around the world. Developing mobile AR experiences will help you differentiate your business from competitors and delight customers. Interaction with real brands and real products in an AR environment converts potential interest to actual sales.
9. Call-to-action leading to fulfillment. AR allows customers to make purchasing decisions in an interactive and fun way, while they are on the go. “Add to cart” and “purchase now” buttons in AR apps and ads make shopping decisions more instant and rewarding. The service provides an opportunity to reach customers with a call-to-action just as they have seen a product.
10. Demand generation. When AR content is used in conjunction with sales and marketing content, it is very likely to ensure that the potential customer reaches the conclusion that this particular service or a product is the right solutions and is worth purchasing.
11. Increase profit. Augmented reality revenues will exceed $3 billion by 2015, while mobile commerce revenues will be doubled by 2015 with AR applications. Revenues generated from mobile phone augmented reality applications will reach $2.2 billion by 2015. Secure your business and increase sales by entering the AR world now.
12. ROI from augmented reality can manifest itself in many ways such as conversion to direct sales, dwell time, brand awareness and PR.
13. Customer Intelligence. With AR, companies can collect a new spectrum of data to further identify shopper behaviors and patterns on the path to purchase. Collected intelligence can be used to further develop products and services. AR apps can also drive store traffic and incent shoppers to buy more products and more often.
14. Mobile Devices are an Ideal Platform for AR. Smart phones and tablets are quickly becoming the new PC, and, since February 2011, more mobile devices have been sold than PCs and laptops. The expanded view and functionality that tablet devices provide make them an ideal platform for unique and immersive augmented reality experiences.