Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Copyright © 2014 Accenture. All rights reserved. Accenture, its logo, and High Performance Delivered are trademarks of Accenture.
Every business is a digital business.
That’s because every customer is now
a digital customer. Nowhere is this
more evident than in the retail arena,
where shoppers have used social
networking and mobility to transform
their purchasing experiences. In
response to the rise of the digital
customer, retailers are looking to
leverage digital technologies to drive
new levels of customer engagement
and competitive advantage. One area
that holds particular promise is
augmented reality.
2
The (digital) natives are restless
With today’s proliferation of social It’s not easy to meet the needs of
networking and mobile applications, this new breed of customer. In an
customers have non-stop access to “always-on” world, customers have
more knowledge and more opinions the power to continually redefine
than ever before. This information the retail shopping experience they
is shaping their preferences for want to have. Their expectations are
products and services, as well as rising—and constantly evolving.
their expectations for personalized They want to be enticed and
retail experiences. It is also upending engaged. They want digital content
the linear buying process. That and digital options that are easily
traditional path to purchase—which accessible 24/7. And they want a
begins with awareness and ends seamless experience, across multiple
with purchase and loyalty—has lost channels that enable them to search,
its relevance for today’s customers. compare and purchase products and
It is too slow, too static and too services on their terms.
generic for buyers who now
perpetually find themselves in a
non-stop, non-linear sales channel.
4
5
Augmented reality in retail
Broadly defined, augmented reality Many retailers have taken notice of •S
ampling and visualizing
refers to the overlaying of physical customers’ existing pain points, and products. Several fashion retailers,
environments with digital content some have taken action using including Topshop, De Beers and
and images to provide users an augmented reality to help create Converse are using augmented
enhanced (or augmented) experience more satisfying customer experiences. reality to enable their customers
of reality. From the heads-up displays to “try on” clothes, jewelry or shoes
originally developed for military They are doing so in several ways: virtually. Shiseido and Burberry
fighter jets (and now used widely in •F inding retail items and accessing Beauty Box stores offer similar
the automotive and gaming industries) product information. Technologies augmented reality solutions for
to the immersive experiences enabled are now available that make it shoppers looking for cosmetics.6
by Google Glass, augmented reality possible for grocery shoppers to These types of solutions, often
applications are popping up all scan the aisles with their smartphone referred to as a “magic mirror,”
over—even in retail. cameras (and potentially their help customers decide which
smart glasses) to quickly identify clothes or accessories to buy
Thanks to the broad adoption of products that are on sale or that without having to try them on.
smartphones and mobile internet address certain requirements Augmented reality can also show
devices, retailers now have an (e.g., gluten-free), tastes or other products and product variants
exciting opportunity to bring product preferences (e.g., locally produced, that aren’t available in a physical
labels, shop windows or catalog fair-trade certified or organic).4 store. For example, American
images to life in ways never before Google’s Project Tango goes a step Apparel has launched a color-
imaginable. It’s an innovative farther, offering customized 3D changing app that allows shoppers
approach to reach customers— in-store maps to help mobile- to see clothing items in different
especially the digital customers equipped shoppers easily find the colors.7 Volvo has launched a
for whom traditional marketing specific products they are seeking. similar solution. The carmaker’s
strategies no longer work. Evidence Walgreens is one of the retailers augmented reality X-ray app
suggests that customers are clearly piloting the Google solution, which enables customers to view cars
ready for the new approach. Accenture also offers product information through their iPad to see how they
research from 2014 shows that even and promotions that seem to “pop look in different finishes, learn
though 59 percent never have had out” of the shelves as customers about different features, and even
the chance to try augmented reality, navigate to their desired product.5 go for a test ride. The solution also
only 30 percent are unsure of how Other augmented reality solutions offers a “shoppable window” with
it works. On top of that, only 23 enable shoppers to receive additional special glass that allows customers
percent do not find it useful. personalized information, to browse goods for sale while the
recommendations, recipes and store is closed.8
Customers are experiencing a reviews when they scan specific
number of key shopping challenges, products with their mobile devices.
which they preferably would like to
solve from home.
8
Seeing is believing (and buying):
IKEA’s embrace of augmented reality
The primary way that IKEA, a leading retailer of home furnishing products,
reaches its customers is through its catalog. Each year, more than 210 million
copies are produced in 60+ languages, making it—next to the Bible—the most
printed document in the world. For years, IKEA’s investment in its print catalog
paid off, attracting millions of customers to the retailer’s website and stores
around the world.
As its customers became more digital, IKEA recognized the opportunity to use
digital technologies to make the catalog even more relevant and inspiring. IKEA
turned to augmented reality to deliver the content—and the differentiating and
engaging experiences—that digitally savvy customers desired.
The result, which was unveiled with the launch of the retailer’s 2013 catalog,
revolutionized the shopping experience for IKEA customers. It also drew
widespread industry and press attention. Never before had an augmented
reality solution been deployed to a retail customer market at this scale, in more
than 60 markets, so quickly. And never before had a full-scale solution of this
magnitude seamlessly combined print and digital content.
Core components of the solution include the IKEA catalog application, used as
a digital layer on top of the print catalog, and image-recognition technology
that identifies the catalog pages without the need for QR codes or symbols.
The readers simply scan the catalog pages with their smartphones or tablets to
unlock a world of new content. They can, for example, see what’s behind a
closed closet door, launch a 360-view of a room set, and display how to
assemble products. They even have the ability to place virtual, life-size pieces
of IKEA furniture in their own homes to determine if the color, style and size fit
their needs. This all but eliminates a major barrier to online purchases, and
significantly reduces the risk of returns.
10
•E
nable cost savings. An important, • Increase in-store conversion.
yet often overlooked, byproduct of In the LEGO example, customers
augmented reality is cost savings. (both parents and children) are
For example, an augmented reality more likely to make a purchase
solution can save retail space by after experiencing the LEGO product
allowing customers to experience via augmented reality. For fashion
many different product variations and automotive retailers, the use
without the retailer needing to of augmented reality increases
have all styles and sizes on display. sales by making sure that customers
It can save employee time, since find what they are looking for
customers can largely service even if, for example, a desired
themselves in a fun and interactive color is not in stock. And for
way. It can reduce the risk of returns. grocery retailers, augmented
And it can even reduce the risk of reality solutions can help customers
products being damaged or stolen find specific products in the store.
in the fitting room. This not only saves the shopper
valuable time, but increases the
likelihood of making more sales.
According to the Accenture 2014
Augmented Reality Survey, 61 to
88 percent of the respondents are
more likely to make a purchase
based on their augmented reality
app experience (e.g., 86 percent
for a virtual furniture app).13
12
•D
etermine ownership. Developing • B uild skills and alignment. Producing • D evelop a long-term strategy
an effective solution requires augmented reality solutions and and plan. It’s fairly easy to launch
close collaboration among many content in advanced digital formats an augmented reality solution. It
stakeholders, from marketing and requires skills not yet readily available is much more difficult to keep it
IT to business leaders and product in the market. Retailers need to be interesting for the users. Retailers
“owners.” However, because prepared to compete for top talent. must be prepared to invest in
augmented reality technologies And they must create a collaborative solution maintenance and the
and applications are so new, it is environment that enables technical development of new content and
not yet clear where the ownership integrators and content producers features over time. The sustainability
of an augmented reality solution to work seamlessly toward the same of the solution requires the ongoing
should sit within an organization. goal: to deliver a good experience. buy-in and financial support from
Retailers must clarify the ownership Equally important, retailers need to key project sponsors.
and governance models up front. pay attention to store employees.
For an augmented reality solution
to be the main component of an
integrated in-store experience, it is
crucial that store employees and
managers understand and promote
the solution. This means they must
be trained on how to drive and
encourage the desired customer
behavior and how to answer
shoppers’ questions about the
augmented reality solution’s use.
13
Forging a path to high performance
For years, our exposure to augmented How retailers respond to the The potential for augmented reality
reality was limited to what we knew augmented reality potential remains in retail is huge. Used in the right
of military training and what we had to be seen. If the successes of early way, it can start delivering value to
seen or read in science fiction. Now, adopters are a guide, it is likely that retailers already today.
our understanding of the technology more and more retail companies will
and our appreciation of its potential be taking advantage of augmented
are evolving at breakneck speed. The reality to drive customer engagement
truth is that in today’s highly mobile to new levels. That would be good
connected, always-on society, news for customers.
augmented reality marks the new
digital frontier.
14
Sample use cases Business value Insights gained
•E
stablish a clear purpose and
objectives
•U
nderstand the critical
• I ncrease in-store conversion
• F inding retail items importance of the user
•C reate an in-store
•S ampling products experience and interface
experience at home
Key findings •P laying
•E
nhance and update print
•M
ake content relevant, usable
•B rowsing (and buying) and available
media with digital content
•P ost-purchase support •D
etermine ownership
•E
nable cost savings
•B
uild skills and alignment
•D
evelop a long-term strategy
and plan
15
To find out how Accenture can About Accenture Endnotes
help you understand and seize Accenture is a global management 1
atalina Marketing Corporation.
C
the augmented reality potential consulting, technology services “Getting Smart About Today’s
in your organization, contact: and outsourcing company, with Mobile Savvy Shoppers: What
approximately 305,000 people Really Matters in a Mobile
Christian Bernroth serving clients in more than 120 Shopping Application,” 2014.
Manager, countries. Combining unparalleled
Accenture Interactive experience, comprehensive
2
Cited in Neg Norton, “Survey: Older
christian.bernroth@accenture.com capabilities across all industries and Generations Embrace Mobile As
business functions, and extensive Local Shopping Companion,”
Johan Uldall-Jörgensen research on the world’s most Search Engine Land, April 14, 2014.
Manager, successful companies, Accenture 3
Ibid.
Accenture Interactive collaborates with clients to help 4
Dean Takahashi, “IBM Launches
j.uldall-jorgensen@accenture.com them become high-performance Augmented Reality App for Grocery
businesses and governments. The Stores,” VentureBeat News, July 1,
Thomas Wenström company generated net revenues of 2012.
Manager, Products, US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year
Management Consulting ended August 31, 2014. Its home
5
Michelle Saettler, “Walgreens pilots
thomas.wenstrom@accenture.com page is www.accenture.com. Google’s project Tango for ubiquitous
augmented reality experiences.”
Torbjörn Andersson Mobile Commerce Daily, June 27,
Senior Manager, 2014.
Accenture Interactive 6
Clare Evans, “10 Examples of
torbjorn.andersson@accenture.com Augmented Reality in Retail,”
www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com,
March 17, 2014.
7
Ibid.
8
Alice Chan, “Volvo Turns an iPad
into an X-Ray Scanner for Their
Cars,” http://www.psfk.com/
2012/08/volvo-ipad-car-xray
.html#!bDH9hf, August 15, 2014.
9
Holition, “Augmented Retail: Holition
Portfolio,” www.holition.com,
retrieved June 10, 2014.
10
metaio, http://www.metaio.com/
customers/case-studies/lego/,
August 15, 2014.
11
WPP, “E-Commerce Grocer
Copyright © 2014 Accenture
All rights reserved. Yihaodian Opens 1,000 Stores
Overnight,” (Press Release),
Accenture, its logo, and October 19, 2012.
High Performance Delivered
are trademarks of Accenture. 12
Damon Lavrinc, “Figure Out What
That Button Does With Audi’s
This document makes reference to
trademarks that may be owned by Augmented-Reality App,” Wired,
others. The use of such trademarks August 12, 2013.
herein is not an assertion of ownership
of such trademarks by Accenture and is
13
Accenture 2014 Augmented
not intended to represent or imply the Reality Survey
existence of an association between
Accenture and the lawful owners of
such trademarks.