If a traditional picture is worth a thousand words, a 360-degree 3D one is worth ten thousand because people will do more than just look at it — they will interact with it. So just in time for the holidays, Alphabet Inc's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google search engine in the US now displays 360-degree 3D views of sneakers.
You can zoom in on the details, spin the shoes around, rotate and use augmented reality (AR) to see what they look like. Shoppers can even go a step further by tapping “View in my space,” which will beam an AR image of the sneaker into their own room.
Consumers will be able to shop for four brands — Vans, Merrell, Sperry and Saucony — with Google’s new 3D view feature as part of the initial launch. The Mountain View, California-based search giant said this week that it is also making its AR beauty feature more inclusive and easier to use.
“Most importantly, shopping in 3D has been proven to lead to 40% lower product returns, a 93% higher click-through rate, 250% boost in conversions which is what’s driving the rapid adoption of everything 3D,” Nextech AR Solutions Corp CEO Evan Gappelberg told Proactive.
“The 3D/AR revolution has begun and of course Google is going to be a leader in driving 3D in search. With everything being made today and everything in the future going 3D, we’re talking hundreds of millions of 3D models that need to be made,” he added.
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Gappelberg’s company Nextech is a top provider of AR Wayfinding technologies and 3D model supplier for hundreds of brands.
“We have been building toward this moment for four years. We believe that we are standing in front of a massive multi-decade $100 billion-dollar mega trend, and we plan to take full advantage,” said Gappelberg.
Toronto-based Nextech, which has a strong presence in the US, recently won a $6.7 million 3D model order from Amazon Prime Marketplace, which could potentially grow to as much as $1 million per month, according to analysts at HC Wainwright.
AR pioneers
Amazon first started offering AR product views back in 2017. Ikea was another early adopter and one of the most touted partners for Apple Inc's (NASDAQ:AAPL) ARKit. The Ikea Place app uses ARKit as its foundation and allows shoppers to position thousands of furniture pieces in their own homes with 98% accuracy.
“While $6.7 million is the most substantial 3D modeling order Nextech AR has received to date, we are in negotiations for additional significant 3D modeling contracts from large enterprise customers. We expect to announce these in the coming months,” said Gappelberg.
Nextech has already been named one of the preferred 3D model suppliers with Amazon, and has scored contracts with e-commerce giants like Kohl’s, CB2 and Pier 1.
Significantly, Google has said it is working on technology that should make it easier to build 3D models, thus helping merchants save time and money.
“The increased awareness that Google is creating for the need for 3D models will spur e-commerce retailers who might not yet have 3D models on their site, to begin looking for 3D model providers,” said Gappelberg.
“We have products that can convert CAD files into 3D models quickly and easily, with the ability to configure them using our self-serve tool. While Google might offer some 3D model services in the future our experience is that customers want our end-to-end solution not just a point solution.”
AR adoption has been a bit of a slow burn. However, the pandemic has served as a catalyst to spur mass adoption as online shopping takes center stage.
“We expect that global demand for 3D models will continue to rapidly grow and then accelerate at a breakneck pace from 2023 into 2024,” said Gappelberg. “AR will explode when Apple releases its AR enhanced computer glasses in 2023.”
Meanwhile, companies like Nextech, who provide 3D models, as well indoor wayfinding and hologram experiences, are spurring the mass adoption of AR at a more rapid pace.
Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com
Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive