The Impact of Augmented Reality on E-Commerce

Abstract

Augmented reality is a great ally for electronic commerce. Advances made in this technology can be applied to businesses to increase sales or for brand building, by enhancing human perception of reality in this application, through contextualization of individual objects that are encountered in the real world with virtual complements so as to make the real objects more meaningful and appealing. The most common application of AR is as a virtual changing room – e-businesses displaying their products (clothing, accessories) via mobile/web cameras as a 3D projection on a real person. This paper focuses on  the growth and impact of e-commerce, the attitudes of Chennai consumers towards Augmented Reality technology in relation to e-commerce products and services, and analysis of the potential for Augmented Reality as a marketing tool in Chennai for both online and offline sales. This paper concludes with the results of the study pointing towards a highly positive attitude towards the acceptance of this technology. Both online as well as offline product marketers could gain now by studying their target audience and investing in AR marketing campaigns in Chennai.