iWorld
Virtual shopping spree: How augmented reality on social media enhances the retail experience
Mumbai: Nowadays, convenience is paramount when it comes to shopping. Consumers want an easy way to try on clothes, visualize how furniture will look in their homes, and generally “try before they buy.” Thanks to augmented reality (AR) technology, these immersive experiences are increasingly prevalent across the retail space.
AR allows brands and retailers to introduce engaging new shopping experiences like virtual fitting rooms, digital try-ons, and color-matching for everything from paint to makeup to hair dye. By implementing AR, customers no longer need to physically try on items or second-guess how a purchase will look in their space. It eliminates the uncertainty of shopping.
Ultimately, AR reduces product returns, increases customer engagement, and fosters long-term brand loyalty. According to research by G2, 61% of consumers prefer retailers offering AR experiences. It is no surprise retail accounted for 5% of global AR usage in 2022, with that number continuing to grow each year. Snapchat even predicts nearly 75% of the global population will frequently use AR for shopping by 2025.
Brands worldwide are using AR to create targeted marketing campaigns, boost engagement, and deliver personalized shopping journeys. For example, Nike’s AR app Nike Fit lets users measure their feet to find the perfect shoe size and visualize how different sneaker styles and colors look on their feet. The app improves sizing accuracy by 60% and reduces returns by 50%.
Similarly, Converse’s Sampler app enables shoppers to virtually try on hundreds of shoe styles from multiple angles using their smartphone camera. This immersive experience has increased conversion rates by 30% and time spent in the app by 50%.
So, what are the key benefits of AR in retail?
Reduced Returns
Allowing customers to virtually try before buying dramatically cuts down on product returns and related costs for retailers.
Increased Engagement
Shoppers can experiment with makeup shades, try on eyeglasses, and visualize outfits without lifting a finger, keeping them actively engaged with brands and products.
Enhanced Loyalty
Delivering seamless, personalized shopping experiences builds lasting customer loyalty and repeat business.
Valuable Data
Brands gain insights into customer sizes, preferences, and behaviors to inform inventory and marketing decisions.
Boosted Sales
Customers are more likely to purchase items they can confidently preview in a realistic setting.
Leading brands are finding innovative ways to integrate AR into the retail experience across channels:
Color Matching
AR helps match paint colors, cosmetics, and more to a customer’s surroundings or skin tone by overlaying the shade onto a photo for an accurate preview.
Virtual Fitting Rooms
Brands like Gucci use AR to let shoppers virtually try on clothing items to find the right size, fit, and style from the comfort of home.
Interactive Displays
In-store AR displays allow customers to browse extended product catalogs, personalize items, and ensure a great fit or shade match.
Virtual Try-Ons
Similar to fitting rooms, AR lets shoppers virtually try on accessories like eyeglasses or hats before purchasing. Warby Parker’s app uploads a selfie to preview frames.
Space Visualization
Customers can use AR to envision how large furniture pieces will look and fit in a room versus relying on guesswork.
Gamified Engagement
Starbucks has used AR to engage customers by letting them scan cups to unlock animated scenes, encouraging brand interaction.
As this technology continues evolving, augmented reality shopping experiences are set to become the standard. Several companies are already implementing AR throughout the customer journey to deepen connections and redefine what is possible in retail.
The following article is attributed to Vosmos CEO Piyush Gupta.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
