Snapchat has set up a new business unit called Augmented Reality Solutions for Business (ARES) to empower retailers and shoppers. It offers Snap’s AR technologies to retailers and businesses so they can incorporate them into their own apps and websites.
The new ARES business aims to help retailers increase conversions and reduce return rates with AR shopping tools. ARES will provide customers with professional services, including product marketing to customer support. The feature also includes a solution called “Shopping Suite”, which is oriented toward retailers across verticals like fashion, accessories, apparel, and home furnishings etc.
This solution has virtual try-out features that allow customers to try on products like sunglasses, clothes and shoes etc. They can upload a photo of themselves to see how they look or interact with AR experiences, and see how the product would look on them in real time. It makes it easier for businesses to use Snap’s software development kits, letting them build AR experiences and check out real-time performance analytics.
Jill Popelka, Head of AR Enterprise Services of Snap Inc., said they have been working hard to bring fun and personal AR experiences to Snapchatters. “In the next decade, we are excited to take our world class AR technology to businesses’ websites, apps, and even into their physical locations. We look forward to making the shopping experience more delightful for consumers and transforming businesses around the world with AR Enterprise Services.”
Snap has been seeing a steady increase in customers using its AR features. It said over 300 customers have used various Shopping Suite features, including retailers like Princess Polly, Goodr and Gobi Cashmere.
