The Pokemon Go boom of 2016 gave both businesses and consumers a glimpse of the power of augmented reality in retail. Suddenly, once unreachable customers frequented businesses they would otherwise never visit, all in the interest of catching them all. The app is by no means the first example of AR as a marketing tool, but it took the concept to the next level.

In the future, viral AR crazes will extend far beyond free-to-play apps. Entrepreneurs who effectively harness the power of AR can capture the same fervor as Pokemon Go, but apply it towards product launches, event marketing and more. The following are just a few examples of how AR is already revolutionizing retail — and how it will continue to do so in the future.

Visualizing Products in a Specific Scenario 🛋

No matter how cleverly marketed, products do not become real to customers until they’re unboxed and used on a regular basis. Unsure how certain items will realistically fit into their daily lives, consumers hesitate to make major investments — and when they finally take the leap, many come away disappointed.

Eager to eliminate this problem in the furniture industry, IKEA launched a unique new app, designed to give users an idea of what certain furniture pieces might look like in their own homes. Additional AR furniture shopping initiatives from Houzz and Wayfair have also met with early success. Most recently, Amazon unveiled an AR feature in its iOS app, providing realistic 3D renderings of desired products.

In addition to large retailers, a number of luxury brands are also experimenting with AR. Burberry recently launched an AR app that digitally redecorates a user’s camera feed with Burberry inspired drawings. And these apps are not limited to fashion and furniture, Porsche also recently released an AR app, powered by ARKit, for visualizing their luxury cars in context.

Contextually aware recommendations 📐 🏠

Besides simply overlaying digital content on the real world, AR apps can use their spatial awareness to make contextually aware recommendations. One of the most exciting recent examples is Warby Parker’s new iPhone X app which uses the front facing depth sensor to scan your face and recommend frames that will fit well.

Rumors are already circulating that the next generation of iPhones will also have rear facing depth sensors with a much larger range, which will dramatically open up new possibilities. Even Tim Cook can’t help but talk about how important these innovations will be for fashion and retail.

Combining In-person and Online Shopping 🛍

Consumers love the convenience of online shopping but many miss the sensory appeal of the traditional shopping experience. AR retail offers the best of both worlds, as evidenced by virtual grocery stores from prominent Chinese business Yihaodian.

While touring Yihaodian’s virtual locations, customers can casually wander through “aisles” and select favorite products. These are ultimately sent to their homes, thereby eliminating a tedious step in the shopping process. In the future, businesses may apply this concept to several categories of shopping, bringing a new element of fun and convenience to shopping for groceries, clothing, even makeup.

An improved experience will not be limited to shoppers who visit virtual stores. Those who arrive in person will also apply AR to their efforts, thereby improving upon traditional shopping. Lowe’s recently introduced an in-store app designed to improve navigation.

One day, a customer could enter practically any store, point his or her phone at a shelf, and immediately see distinguishing information such as various products’ origins, eco-friendliness or upcoming sales. This information will make it easier for busy shoppers to make snap decisions, rather than research items extensively. Recommendations could even be personalized based on the consumer’s past purchases or stated preferences. IBM presented this concept to great acclaim at CeBIT in 2013.

The New Social Media Savvy 🖼

From hashtags to snaps, a variety of tools allow businesses to build stronger relationships with current and prospective customers. AR will give companies even more options while granting consumers a more enjoyable social media experience. Not only will followers take advantage of AR tools, but they’ll also share the results on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks. For example, if a customer uses an AR app to see how he or she might look in a specific outfit (a concept already tested via Gap’s virtual dressing room), that information could then be shared with social media followers to determine which choice is most preferable.

The importance of AR for social isn’t mere speculation — in Triple’s own app, we have found that 1 in 4 users will take an augmented reality photo, and over 20% of those photos will be shared on social media

Augmented reality is not a far-off future concept; it’s already here and it’s already transforming the world of retail. Get ready to see a closer relationship between virtual and in-person shopping as businesses and customers embrace the power and excitement of AR. To learn more about the future of AR in retail, visit www.triple.io.