By CHEWED PIXEL STUDIOS
Let’s start off with some facts: while E-Commerce is huge, it still only makes up roughly 85% of sales in the United States (Source). OpenTable estimates that one in four restaurants won’t make it through the pandemic (Source) and according to eMarketer, (Source) physical in-store sales could easily drop by 14%, roughly $4.2 trillion dollars.
This all seems negative and gloomy, but by using technology to your advantage, there is no reason why you can’t be on the positive side of this curve. COVID-19 will forever change the way business is handled, just as the Great Depression or the Industrial Revolution did before it. As a business major, I remember learning that businesses that can adapt the quickest or pivot the fastest have higher chances to flourish when disasters arise. The big question then becomes: “what’s the best way to move online?”
There are many answers to that. A quick Google search will show you a million ways to do this, and will provide a myriad of tips from fine-tuning a web page, setting up an Etsy shop, etc. While there’s not necessarily a right answer, almost every source will agree on one thing: although having a flashy brick and mortar storefront is great for getting customers into your physical store, having a flashy online storefront is not the silver bullet for getting attention online.
Enter Augmented Reality: while AR used to consist of flashy tech used to draw in gamers and handle QR codes, the industry is rapidly evolving to change the way online business is handled today. By being able to try on clothes from your home mirror, or see how a piece of furniture sits in your living room, large companies are leveraging this technology to reduce returns, drive sales, and make more profit (See here for more ideas). But what if your business isn’t a giant like Amazon or IKEA? Enter Chewed Pixel Studios.
Chewed Pixel Studios is aimed at helping businesses of all sizes to create Augmented Reality applications. We bring this amazing technology to your customers’ fingertips, giving you the ability to offer you customers a tool that was once only available to the largest companies. Here are a few ways we can help you move your business online:
1. Marketing.
As mentioned earlier, drawing customers in is a whole different ball game in the digital world. Innovation and “viral” marketing become synonymous with tried and true tactics of adding value and offering incentives. So why not do it all at once?
Augmented Reality marketing has become consistently viral. For proof, take a look at this recent Burger King campaign (Source). From sending out interactive flyers, to advanced campaigns like BK’s, this technology isn’t as out of reach as you may think. The trick is born from a simple idea, and our development team makes it come to life!
Another great aspect of having apps built for your business are the analytics you can gain from your customers. Is one of your products doing well? Feature it to boost sales! Perhaps something shows interest but isn’t moving? You can use all the tools to fine-tune your business to stay profitable and add the maximum amount of value to your customers.
2. “Dressing Rooms.”
A huge part of having any online storefront is being able to send the correct product out the first time. Things like shipping accuracy and reliable delivery services are all metrics business owners obsess over to be sure they get those coveted 5-star ratings from customers. But what about customer errors like ordering the wrong size or color? The majority of customers will only purchase from retail establishments that offer free shipping as well as returns – so how do you avoid those expenses?
Offer a way for them to try it before they buy!
From IKEA to Amazon, more and more large companies are offering “try before you buy”, options which, though the magic of AR, will allow you to see the items as if they were sitting in your own home! Using a technique called plane detection, our team can create scale models of your product to place on any surface of their home! Want to see what a painting would look like on your wall? Or what about knowing what that dresser would look like next to your bed? Is there an outfit you’re not sure will look good on you? No matter the size of your store, Chewed Pixel Studios can create an affordable option to allow you to compete with the biggest brands.
3. Add a whole new product!
The third way many companies are making the move online is by adding something completely new to their existing and future customer base.
Gyms are providing brand new home classes via Augmented Reality.
Makeup brands are allowing people to build full skin care options through AR.
Art supply companies are allowing kids to bring their art to life through AR to drive sales.
Homebuilders are allowing people to design their dream homes and see them come to life.
Toy sellers are making games that capitalize on their physical toy sales.
By leveraging Augmented Reality to build new options for your customers to experience, you can not only create buzz, but entire new sources of revenue. And this is only the beginning.
Chewed Pixel Studios is already creating Augmented Reality apps that help bring businesses into this new world. It’s not as far off as you may think. Contact Us today for a quick chat with one of our experts to see what we can do for you. We don’t sell a product that you have to adapt to, we build a product that adapts to your business. Let’s work together to bring your business online.