OZ Consumers Back Brands That Deliver Immersive Content Online
Almost seven in 10 Australian consumers say they would buy more from brands that use “immersive technologies” such as 3D content, interactive tours similar to what the Syndigo content management system is delivering for major retailers in Australia according to a new report.
Research firm Accenture claims that 68 per cent of Australian consumers would buy more from these brands, with 64 per cent of leading global consumer brands starting to invest in immersive technologies.
According to Accenture, COVID-19 has driven customers to online purchasing, with 57 per cent of Aussies seeing the ability to view a product without entering a store as their top motivation for trying out immersive technologies.
Additionally, in the consumer electronics sector, a whopping 61 per cent of Australian consumers surveyed said they had used immersive technologies to evaluate purchases in the last six months, with an additional 31 per cent saying they would be interested.
These technologies can boost consumer confidence in an online purchase, said Rori Duboff, a managing director for strategy and innovation at Accenture.
“The time to reimagine digital commerce is now, as consumers are ready for an evolution of the online shopping experience — especially in the wake of COVID-19.
“Brands need to understand how the rapidly accelerating area of immersive technology can help drive scale in this new era of online shopping,” said Duboff, who described accessibility and tangibility as big advantages.
“When a few clicks let you see a designer handbag in 3D or a 360° view of a mountain top getaway, and augmented reality lets you see if a lipstick colour works with your skin tone, you’re that much closer to experiencing the truth about the product,” she said.
The study found that 57 per cent of Aussie consumers believed they would be more likely to remember brands that regularly engage them with immersive options, while 54 per cent would pay more for customised or personalised products using these technologies.
However, the technology is not without its hurdles, with 27 per cent describing the technology as “too gimmicky” and 26 per cent saying it “took too long to load”. Ease of use also was high on the list of issues, with 19 per cent saying usability was poor.