Snapchat has published a new report on the rising value of AR as a complement to the online purchase process, and how modern shoppers are using AR tools – like try-virtual on and other visualization elements – to make more informed product choices.

As per Snap:

“With a projected value of $1.2 trillion by 2030, AR is fast becoming a necessity in every brand’s omni-channel roadmap.”

I mean, that’s probably a stretch, but various reports have highlighted the value of AR tools in this respect, and with Snapchat being the second-largest source of AR discovery during shopping (after store websites), it’s worth considering the potential of its tools for your promotional efforts. 

To find out more about the role that AR is now playing in the modern shopping journey, Snap and Publicis Media commissioned Alter Agents to conduct a survey of more than 4,000 shoppers who’ve used AR in their purchase process.

The results show that AR can deliver big benefits – for example, more than two-thirds of AR shoppers, on average, indicated that their purchase intent increased significantly after using AR elements.

“For shoppers, AR experiences offer a hassle-free shopping journey that’s still entertaining and easy to use. This is likely why one-fourth of shoppers say they would use AR as a substitute for an in-person experience across categories, including CPG, Clothing, Retail, and Travel. For brands working to fine-tune their omni-channel strategy, this has large-scale implications when planning their brick-and-mortar presence.”

AR experiences also give shoppers more confidence in their purchases, while 66% of shoppers who use AR are less likely to then return products after the fact - which Snap says could be ‘a game changer for an industry currently grappling with higher returns’.

The final element of the study looks at the potential of AR features for post-purchase engagement, with the data showing that 96% of respondents were also keen to engage with additional AR elements - like demonstrations, reviews, suggested pairings, and to share their latest purchase with friends.

There’s a range of ways in which AR elements can be used in your promotional and brand-building flow, and while it does take additional development capacity to create effective AR integrations, Snap’s also working to provide more pathways to work with AR creators, which will make it a more accessible opportunity for more brands.

It’s worth considering, particularly with the pending development of AR glasses and other features, which may make it a much more important piece of the puzzle.

It’s not, as Snap suggests, a necessity for all brands as yet, but the opportunities are rising, which is worth factoring into your plans.

You can check out Snap’s full AR commerce report here.