Augmented reality shoppers on Build.com spend more and return less.
Home improvement merchant Build.com launched an augmented reality tool on its site in 2017 that allows shoppers to view a few dozen of its products to-scale in 3D via their smartphone screens. After a year of analyzing shopper behavior and its in-house AR team developing new features, Build.com now has more than 650 products and 1,700 SKUs available to view in AR, says Dave Nickens Build.com’s head of emerging technology. The SKU count is higher than products because of the variety of colors and finishes Build.com has available.
The reason the web-only merchant is bulking up its AR product suite is simple: Shoppers that use the feature are its highest lifetime value and average order value customers, Nickens says.
“We are seeing very strong signals that AR is being used by a devoted and loyal group of Build.com customers,” he says.
About 5,000 shoppers a month use the augmented reality feature, Nickens says. Shoppers that use augmented reality on average visit Build.com’s app or site twice as often each month than non-AR shoppers. Plus, the average session length for an AR shopper is nearly one minute longer than non-AR shoppers, Nickens says.
In addition to lighting and faucets, Build.com has 3D product models of vanities, fans, bathtubs, toilets, sinks and bathroom accessories.
“We often have customers that return a faucet because the way the handle moves, it hits their backsplash,” Nickens says. “Since customers can interact with our AR-enabled products—not just plop and spin—you can ensure that it will function in their space. “
This feature appears to have paid off for Build.com as the return rate for shoppers that use its augmented reality function is 22% lower than shoppers who didn’t use the tool and bought the same product.
Build.com is featured in Internet Retailer’s 2019 Hot 100 issue.
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