Virtual Reality will change the face of e Commerce

With the digital retail scene evolving constantly, new and innovative ways of engaging online shoppers are sought after by retailers. So far, Virtual reality is something that has only truly been encountered in the gaming environment. However, as retailers look to provide customers an immersive experience, virtual reality and augmented reality are becoming the next step in a growing digital world.

The notion of eCommerce having a role within virtual reality, such as virtually walking into a boutique is quite hysterical. VR is not going to replace Amazon or hopping in a car and driving to Target. For now, virtual reality allows one to catch a glimpse into a world that one has never otherwise experience before. It is taking part in a story. Nonetheless, because of its immersive nature, virtual reality makes for stronger brand experiences and could make a vital role in eCommerce and could change the face of eCommerce eventually.

Virtual reality, or VR has been discussed since the early 80’s and 90’s. It’s going to affect various aspects of daily life, not only in the form of commerce, entertainment and pastime, but as a way to increase knowledge, meet new people for business as well. Moreover, it could greatly boost communications. VR is only getting started, and it is going to be huge. It’s just a matter of time before VR technology hits a retail store in one’s locality. Retailers all over the world are embracing the technology in order to change or transform the way consumers live, play and shop. Some brands introduce VR headsets in their stores to allow shoppers to see its runaway shows and shop for items from the latest collection.

Beyond product promotion, VR is being utilized to tell a story regarding the craftsmanship of a brand and demonstrate the process of production. One example is TOMS, which recently introduced the Samsung VR headsets in its flagship outlets. The headsets take shoppers on a virtual trip to Peru, showing them what is like to give shoes to those who are in need. The company has been giving a pair of shoes for every pair sold since from the start. It is apparent that virtual reality offers numerous benefits to eCommerce retailers.

These days, new technology waves are crawling out of their primordial ooze and ready to make their debut as viable additions to the way that people shop. This is augmented and virtual reality. With VR, store owners would enable customers try accessories and clothing in a virtual store, put furniture into the houses of their customers within an application on the smart phone and show people how to assemble and utilize the products step-by-step with a live customer support. They allow customers to flaunt potential purchases to friends make their brands more personable, fun and engaging. They will crank up the potency of their segmented marketing, storytelling, cross-selling and upselling. Essentially, store owners soon would be bridging the gap between physical and web retail.

With virtual reality, customers enter a virtual dressing room and with only a few, easy swipes on a screen, they could see how different scarfs, dresses, accessories and necklaces look on them. So, how does VR work? VR works in such a way that a computer or phone camera, or a Microsoft 360 Kinect scans the customer into a chat-box-style video screen. Makeup, Jewelry and clothing then is selected on-screen and placed on to the body of the customer. Shoppers could also raise or lower their arms, turn around and experiment with what best fits.

By snapping images and pictures of their prospective new attires and upload them on social media, they could have fast feedback from family and friends, which make the experience feel nearer to the real thing. Augmented reality is providing a brick-and-mortar benefit to online fashion retailers, and it’s just begun. It is challenging to take into account how VR could simplify a purchase journey more than a well-designed application does. Definitely, there are some improvements to the decision-making process of a customer.

It's challenging to think about how VR can simplify a purchase journey more than a well-designed app does. There's definitely some improvements to a customer's decision-making processes. That said, I think even if the experience of browsing virtual stores was perfected as close as possible to the 'real thing' it's unlikely that a virtual store would achieve physical stores' conversion rates (approx. 20-40 per cent). It would be higher than online average (1-3 per cent), but this could be partly or fully for the same reason mobile apps enjoy a higher conversion rate - the visitor accessing an app (or VR store) is likely to be a higher quality visitor than a standard website one.

When an eCommerce brand has a brick and mortar store as well as an online shop, it could combine the two and acquire information back from people that use VR in the store. A store owner could see how customers move through the space and check out where the shop has blind spots, places wherein product is not noticed. This could be beneficial to eCommerce retailers to not just offer customers a great technological experience, but optimize the space in their actual retail shop as well. The same as the pattern with all useful and new technologies, once a few eCommerce operators start to offer VR, customers would quickly start to expect it from all businesses. Those that don’t provide such a service could be considered old-fashioned all of a sudden. When done well, VR could create a real difference to the eCommerce scenario.

Is Virtual Reality a next E-commerce frontier?

Virtual Reality is developing its route into e-commerce, but the thing is how it affects the consumer engagement? Is it nice to have it need to have for the engagement purpose?

The CEO of the merchant service provider Cleveland Brown quoted that, from July 2015 to June 2016, $2 billion was invested in virtual reality and startups. Mergers and acquisitions for the virtual reality and augmented reality are hiking to $850 million during 1 year.

Many brands that deal with E-commerce are embracing the virtual reality to enhance the customer experience. For instance, Wayfair was up with the Patio Playground, a virtual reality app that enables you to browse the catalog, selecting outdoor furniture and design a background setting. Wayfair is making possible through a Facebook-owned Oculus Rift headset.

Wayfair used this to enhance the customer experience and engagement with virtual reality. It is for the brand awareness and no for the transactional experience. Mike Festa, head of Way fair’s Research and Development Lab, said Wayfair is looking into adding e-commerce to its next iteration.

Festa initiated that, Patio Playground holds core focus on the opportunity to showcase some of its items in a new setting. He said that this demonstrates Wayfair’s thought leadership in virtual and artificial reality field, e-commerce industry and increased awareness.

Currently, they wished to use the Patio Playground to test the virtual reality experience, check out how customers are engaging and integrate that Facebook in future applications. By doing this, Wayfair has been able to track the number of downloads, the length of time playing, and how often certain features are being used, such as teleporting, loading products, saving and more.

Consumers would not adopt the virtual reality technology for few years as they are not aware of it but once they adopt they will be having a high advantage of this platform. It is a great platform for the consumers who are looking for the new things in their life.

Will your smartphone replace your PC or Laptop?

“If you look from the world perspective, it is fundamentally our primary computer device. The PC has very much become a secondary computer device.”

Technology is advancing and the fine line of difference between mobile and laptop is almost hazy. Now this post-PC era has merged both the devices. In the past years, people believed that though one spends hours in using the smartphone, laptop screens will be replaced with the bigger one, high functionality keyboards, and mouse, every gadget will be giant. You might be thinking that bigger screen gadgets is a sign of luxury, but is it so in this era? The answer is big NO. 

Every gadget is getting compact with all the inbuilt and high defined functionality. Who knew, a tiny smartphone will be heading with everything you always wanted and will change your day to day life and will give you real solutions.

It is the hilarious idea to take the smartphone when you are traveling instead of your Laptop. These days smartphone fulfills all your computer needs. Internet-connected smartphones are always the first priority for everybody, especially in many developing countries. Research shows that most of the African and Asians use their cell phones for getting information, bill payments, social networking and more. The day starts and ends with cell phones. Its price has majorly decreased and hence everybody can afford to buy. Those who have never used computer device before have their own small compact in their pocket.

After some years, Virtual Reality will be booming and will be able to handle 4K streaming, multitasking much more than now and much more other things. For instance iPhone, it’s A8 chip is tremendous faster than the chips which were used in the past iPhones. And the Snapdragon 810 has amazing video streaming and 3D game capabilities. And if we think about the storage place, then the smartphone does have the high storing facility even compared to the modern laptops. So why to take a laptop when you can do everything with your phone.

The cool new things with the Laptop is that it has got a touch screen, well smartphones already had touch screen some year before. And for the internet connectivity, you need to take out the laptop and search for the free WIFI or you have to connect it with a modem. But with the smartphone, you always have internet in it. Of course, you need to have data pack then no internet connection at all.

And the best thing with the smartphone is it is always with you, wherever you go. And whenever there is an emergency to fire any E-mail or you want to Google anything – Do you relay think his world will be using a laptop to do such things?

Hence it is suspiciously proved that Smartphones have replaced Laptops!

Google debuts interactive VR photography app “cardboard camera” on iOS

Recently, Google announced the launch of Cardboard Camera for iOS which enables the users to capture 3D 360 degree virtual reality photos without the need for a VR headset equipment. Pictures taken with this app are 3D panoramas in which users can tap and drag the camera in all directions, with the recording of the sound. Image plays back each time when the image is revisited.

Cardboard photography is quite similar to the style of panorama in the iOS camera app. Users have to hold on the camera button, keeping their iPhone vertical – tap the record button then rotate slowly in place to capture their surroundings. Users will also be able to share albums of virtual reality photos directly from the app by generating links to e-mail, text message or share on social media.

Whether you are hiking, cooking, and playing or attending cousin’s wedding go beyond the flat photos or selfie. With the cardboard camera, you will be able to capture 3D 360 degree virtual reality photos which are available on iOS as well as Android. Just like Google cardboard, it works with the phone you already have with you.

The company said that if any of the VR pics taken with the cardboard camera are viewed on Google Cardboard, anyone can cherish those moments as if they are already present on that spot. Previously, cardboard camera was only available for Android with more than 5 million photos captured on the platform.

How will the Pokémon Go affect the future of mobile app development?

Pokémon Go is the augmented reality location based game developed by Niantic for Android and iOS. This game earned in millions of dollars in a very short period of time and has become much hyped among the teenagers to youths to oldies. Pokémon Go is the real episode that made everybody addicted. This game enables you to travel between real world and virtual world and helps you to discover the whole new ecosystem in the completely new world. The Gaming platform is developed in such a way that, it uses the real location to search for the Pokémon in the real world. It catches hundreds of species of Pokémon as you explore more and more surroundings.

This phenomenon was not at all believable before 6 months ago. It has fundamentally changed the way of thinking – “Technology interacts with the environment”. Isn’t that great? 

Though its security is not so high according to the critics and as this app has been downloaded by millions of people there are issues of crashing servers. This has surely done the magic in the mobile app development industry and it is quite predicted that many app developers would surely be constantly focusing on developing the replica of Pokémon Go.

So let’s check out, what is exciting about Pokémon Go? Why has it got so much buzz in the mobile game industry?

Augmented Reality

This is one of the seamless virtual reality of the Pokémon Go and the reason for a high buzz. With this game, players can see the animated Pokémon on their mobile display, as they walk away to the surroundings. Additionally, users can get the Poke stops on the real physical places like monuments, landmarks and more. They can get out in the competition with other players by collecting the “Gyms”.

The Augmented Reality of this game depends on the GPS technology which is coating the instances of the existing world. This game happened in the “real world” is itself one of the biggest achievements and the reason for app popularity. Hence, in the coming era, there would be such type of augmented reality games, with just local check-ins to gain more power on this powerful feature.

In future, you can expect something unbelievable. Today developers presented an augmented reality by adding coats to the real world. The next generation might see the virtual reality (VR) where the new fancy world would be presented before your eyes.

Gamification

Gamification is the concept to be applied in designing the game to engage, motivate, and encourage people in achieving the goals. In Pokémon Go’s, when you walk at different landmarks and new places, it becomes the game and in this way, you can earn rewards and catch out the new Pokémon as you move along. Because of the gamified element, Pokémon Go game has been able to integrate the real and virtual world. And in future, there are high chances that developers would work and put high efforts in running this kind of application.

Unlimited Potential

There are many potential mobile apps with unlimited levels, amazing graphics and much more things to explore. But Pokémon Go is quite different from the other potential games. It literally keeps you addicted, engaged and keeps the users interested. The future of app development is quite clear from this scenario. It would be tailored, expanding and with practically unlimited potential, which keeps the users interested.

Perfect Learning Curve

Pokémon Go is the ideal learning curve for many developers and users. The standard learning curve is one that is easy to use, rewards user for investing their energy and discovering many complex mechanics. And Pokémon Go fits into this bracket, enabling the new users with the easy pickups, and rewards to the players who invest their time in learning the complex strategies. If you develop an app that is much simple, users might bounce your app. If much complexity is involved, users would run away and user base would never grow. In future, it is highly expected to see the amazing provisions.

Transactions

This is not the new concept for developing the game app in mobile. But Pokémon Go has taken some different approach in making it unique. In general game application, you can purchase the coins to get the lucky eggs, incentives and more. But this type of bonuses is not present in Pokémon Go. It is developed in such a nice way that, people would likely invest dollars as it has given the game they always love to play. Giving people what they want was always the first priority of the Pokémon Go game.

Whether you are using Pokémon Go or not, it has removed the boundary between real and virtual world. It has quite addictive features that increase users engagement. Some of its elements are to be expected to see featured in popular apps in near future. If you are looking for developing a mobile app or a game with unique and innovative features, you should approach a professional mobile app development company to achieve your goals!

Google advancing into virtual reality, messaging and payment services

Google is making more moves into the virtual reality and messaging apps as the organization discovered new items and redesigns at it's Google I/O conference in Mountain View, California. 

They declared another stage for virtual reality called Daydream, and said manufacturers including Samsung, HTC and Huawei would have cell phones capable of handling it in this fall. 

The platform, incorporated with coming Android Nougat operating system, is intended to enhance the experience of Cardboard, which Google propelled two years back, by making virtual-reality encounters that are more agreeable, higher quality and more immersive.

Google said it had made a reference outline for a headset that a partner maker would have prepared for the fall, and plans for another controller that has a couple catches, a touch-pad, and sensors that track its orientation and where it's indicating.

In an exhibit for exactly 7,000 participants at the conference, the Google demonstrated how the controller could be utilized to flip computerized flapjacks, toss things, cast a virtual angling line and fly an advanced digital dragon.

New Messaging App 

A messaging application that consolidates Google's new voice partner? Say "hi" to Allo. 

The application will accessible this late spring on both Android and adversary Apple phones, allows chatting partners to look up restaurant options and even book a table right in the app. 

It additionally gives clients a variety of emojis and stickers and the alternative to increase or decrease the measure of content to add accentuation. 

Allo likewise gives a scope of automated reactions to questions and even photographs, identifying things like eateries and dog breeds. 

In a smack at Snapchat, Allo likewise highlights an "incognito" mode that adds end-to-end encryption and permits a user to set a timer on when their messages vanish. 

Android Pay Expands to U.K. 

Google's portable payment service, Android Pay, is going to the U.K., expanding its first extension outside the U.S. 

Google joined Apple Pay, which launched in the U.K. almost a year back.

With both services, users just have to tap a phone alongside a store's payment per user to charge a credit or platinum card. Yet, it works just with stores that have more up to date remote per users called near field commutators.

Another challenge has been convincing for the users i.e it's less demanding than hauling out a plastic card for installment. 

Apple Pay is likewise in China, Canada, Australia and Singapore, with Hong Kong and Spain to come. Google says Android Pay will extend to Singapore and Australia this year.