Accenture: Opening the door to the next wave of e-commerce

While consumers have learned about the many benefits of online shopping, there are still some elements missing from the online experience. As more immersive technologies are used in the shopping industry, Accenture has released a new report exploring what is driving consumers to try these technologies and what it may mean for online retailers.

According to an Accenture survey of more than 3,000 consumers who have relied on immersive technologies to evaluate and/or purchase products or services online in the past six months, one of the biggest motivations for trying these technologies when shopping online is the ability to view products without going to a store (52%). About 42% of consumers also ranked evaluating product features and functions as the top motivation; the same percentage cited experiencing the product before buying it (42%). Another 39% of respondents said these technologies gave them an increased confidence in their purchasing decisions.

About 3 in 10 respondents (29%) would be willing to use immersive technology because it allows them to change, customize or personalize a product. This feature could be beneficial to retailers as nearly half of consumers (47%) said they would be willing to pay extra for a product if they could customize or personalize it using immersive technology.

Last year, a GfK survey found that only a quarter of consumers expected to try AR/VR technology in future shopping experiences. However, the future of immersive technology looks bright. According to an Accenture survey, consumers believe that immersive and virtual technology will have a greater impact on future purchasing decisions.

That doesn’t mean the technology isn’t being used without concerns: Nearly 6 in 10 consumers (57%) are concerned about immersive technology using personal data to provide personalized recommendations.

199IT.com Original translation from: Accenture. Please do not reprint without authorization.