20 Augmented Reality Statistics You Should Know in 2020 by threekit

It’s 2020 and it seems like before anyone realized it, the future arrived. Technologies that people only dreamed about are now accessible to everyone at their fingertips. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, autonomous vehicles, CRISPR — the list of unprecedented technologies goes on and on. One of the most game-changing technologies for retail in 2020 is augmented reality. AR empowers customers with the ability to visualize and customize products in 3D when shopping. Engaging customers through the shopping process is becoming increasingly competitive. With augmented reality, retailers can have a new way to compete with an entirely new customer experience that leads to higher sales and increased customer satisfaction.

1%

of retailers say
they are using AR

Innovate with AR

According to a report from Mobile Marketer, retailers are slowly adopting AR in the buying process. Only 1% of retailers are currently using AR or VR (Virtual Reality) in their customer buying experience. For retailers that bring in most of their sales online, AR can help customers to have a more accurate understanding of how a product is going to look and feel in their space. Being able to communicate the details about a product through AR can help customers understand what they’re buying, making it easier to meet customer expectations which leads to higher post-purchase satisfaction.

52%

of retailers say they are not prepared to integrate AR into their retail

Find the right partner

In the same report from Mobile Marketer, 52% of retailers said that they were just not prepared to start using AR and other new technologies. For most retailers, the photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and photography needed for all of their inventory can be a serious undertaking. Finding the right partner is important for having a successful ROI post-adoption. Threekit’s Virtual PhotographerTM platform can empower your team to generate tens of thousands of photorealistic images from a single design file, on demand.

71%

of consumers say they would shop more often if they used AR

Increase buyer confidence

AR has the unique ability to communicate details about the look and feel of a product that traditional photos just can’t match. With AR, customers are better able to make confident buying decisions, meaning increased satisfaction and strong customer loyalty.

61%

of consumers say they prefer retailers with AR experiences

The right choice, the first time

Customers want to be able to know that the product their purchasing will fit their needs. For furniture, that means customizing a product to match existing decor. IKEA released the IKEA Place app that allows customers to visualize furniture in their space with real-time customizations. Having this power at their customer’s fingertips with AR means that retailers can see a decrease in returns and less wasted logistics costs.

40%

of consumers say they would pay more for a product that they could customize in AR

Customers will pay more for convenience

Online retail accounts for 11% of all retail sales. When customers shop in-store, they’re able to see, touch, and feel your product selection. Customers that are shopping online, however, can experience how a product will appear in their house, on their kitchen counter, or on their shelf using AR. For online retail, that means higher margins on existing spend and a higher quality, “hands-on” experience for customers.

$50B

The estimated AR Market value by 2024

It’s only just beginning

The AR market is a rapidly growing industry with an estimated market value of $50 billion by 2024. AR has the potential to impact every corner of the economy, from medicine, to automotive, to entertainment, and more. Facebook recently acquired Scape, an AR company that’s building a digital 3D map of the physical world. As investment in AR becomes increasingly rapid by big tech, we can expect to see AR becoming a more integrated element of life.

66%

of consumers in Japan want offline stores to offer AR experiences

Offering AR in-store

AR is quickly being adopted by some of the world’s largest markets. In Japan, 66% of consumers want offline stores to offer AR experiences. AR has been integrated into the in-store shopping experience in Japan since 2009. With AR, consumers can have an enriched shopping experience where additional product information can be superimposed onto the retail space. For big box retailers and department stores, consumers can navigate through a shopping list or see potential product pairings.

5%

of AR use will be in retail by 2022

Retail’s future in AR

Most people tend to associate AR solely with the entertainment industry. But the reality is that AR will become a more and more integral part of life in the coming years. Retail is expected to account for 5% of AR use by 2022. Threekit’s AR can help retailers increase conversions by up to 40%. That can mean tremendous growth for your business that will only increase as AR is used by more of the consumer base.

$18.8B

Worldwide spending on AR/VR in 2020

Investment in AR is growing

According to IDC, global spending on AR/VR in 2020 will be up to $18.8 billion, up 78.5% from 2019. Businesses across the globe are trying to find ways to stay competitive as consumers are looking for richer engagement points in the shopping experiences. From 2019-2023, the global VR/AR market will see a 77% compound annual growth rate.

32%

of consumers use AR while shopping

Consumers are using AR more

The customer’s path to purchasing changes constantly. In 2020, 32% of consumers are using AR while shopping. AR presents a unique opportunity to engage customers and to focus the consumer on the selling points of your product. Every opportunity to engage a customer also presents opportunities that can lower the overall customer’s satisfaction. AR is bringing in extremely high satisfaction levels with 73% of mobile AR users reporting high satisfaction levels.

1B

Total AR users worldwide

Mobile AR opens to the door

Since Apple and Google launched their respective ARKit and ARCore platforms, tens of thousands of AR apps are being used every day by over 1 billion people. As Tim Cook was quoted, engagements with AR will become everyday events. As people become more comfortable using AR, retailers have to innovate and keep up with how the market is changing.

100M

consumers will use AR to shop in 2020

An individualized experience

Gartner estimates that over 100 million consumers will use AR to shop in 2020. In a traditional retail space, if 100 million people walked through the store, most would have a similar shopping experience. With AR, retailers can customize how each user experiences a product. With targeted offering in the retail space, AR shoppers will be able to have a more impactful, personalized shopping experience.

67%

of advertising agencies say they are making more use of AR

Advertisers are moving in on AR

According to Vibrant Media, AR ads are enabling brands to bring their products to life right in front of consumers. The travel, automotive, and entertainment industries are expected to see big benefits to augmented reality campaigns.

83.1M

of consumers in the US use AR monthly in 2020

American consumers are actively using AR

In 2020, 83.1 million consumers in the US will use AR monthly. That accounts for 15% of the population. Years ago, brands were mainly able to engage with users through print because of the large user base. At some point, consumers would read a magazine or pass a poster on the street. With AR usership increasing, it’s an opportunistic time to start capitalizing on the growing AR user base for both marketing and point of sale product engagement.

17%

of consumers in the US will use AR monthly by 2022

AR usership is growing

With 83.1 million consumers in the US using AR monthly, AR usership is expected to grow to 17% by 2022. AR is a thrilling way to see and interact with rich information about the world and the user base is expected to continue growing as more companies begin to adopt AR.

70%

of consumers 16 to 44 years old are aware of AR

More consumers are aware of AR

70% of consumers between ages 16 and 44 are aware of AR. What’s impressive about this figure is that AR has just become available to most consumers only a few years ago. We’re seeing an adoption rate that is allusive to the early days of ecommerce.

26%

of smartphones are ARKit or ARCore compatible

No install required

With ARKit and ARCore becoming available to most smartphone owners, AR has been quickly integrated into many apps. What many brands don’t know is that most web browsers ship with WebVR and other 3D technologies. That means integrating an AR or VR experience into your online store doesn’t require users to have any additional software installed other than their browser. With Threekit’s 3D Configurator, your online store can offer 3D product customizations that work on every device, everywhere.

39%

of AR retailers use AR for the consideration phase

AR helps consumers understand a product

AR is a great medium for showing highly detailed 3D models of your products. Compelling imagery is a must have for selling products online. With 3D models of your products in AR, consumers can know exactly how their product will work for them, with their specific needs and space.

16%

of retailers use AR for the sales phase

AR helps consumers make buying decisions

After consumers have selected which products will work for them, making the choice of which product to purchase is an area that AR can have significant influence in. For brands that have an in-person onboarding process for their customers, using AR and VR can compel customers with real-life, vivid imagery that drives them towards buying.

40%

higher conversion rates with AR

Grow your conversions with AR

Using 3D technologies in your online shopping experience can increase your conversion rates by up to 40%. Using AR can give customers the confidence to buy, increase their post-purchase satisfaction, and reduce your return rate.

AR is going to become ubiquitous to the point of it being an integrated expectation of the buying experience. Threekit offers 3D visualization and augmented reality that brings products to life. Schedule a free demonstration of how AR from Threekit can be the game-changer for your company now and in the future.