UK shoppers would use AR to assist with retail shopping

AR enables individuals to seamlessly project virtual images/objects through their smart devices onto the physical world. With such capabilities, AR is set to redefine the ways in which consumers intend to interact with brands.

Marketplace OnBuy.com analysed findings from Mindshare, which surveyed 1,000 UK smartphone users to see whether they preferred a handful of ‘experiences’ facilitated by AR via their own smartphone or through a pair of smart glasses.

The company found that the majority of UK shoppers would prefer to experience aspects of social media communication enabled by AR effects (such as face filters, gifs et al)through their smartphones (87%) rather than smart glasses (13%).

Connected packaging, which allows consumers to scan a QR code on the packaging or product itself to primarily get usage/assembly instructions or greater insight into the brand’s story, would be favoured to be accessed by smartphones (82%) as opposed to smart glasses (18%). 

Likewise, UK consumers would opt to use smartphones (78%) over smart glasses (22%) when utilising AR to assist them with the fulfilment of basic tasks such as capturing the dimensions of an item to virtually figure out the best box size to use for shipping it.

Further, 71% of Brits would select smartphones and 29% smart glasses when using online shopping tools specifically designed to help them visualise items before buying.