AUGMENTED REALITY APPS TO ENHANCE THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

What is augmented reality? 

Augmented reality is a technology that virtually places a 3D visual into a “real-world” experience. This gives the user the appearance that the virtual object co-exists with them in the physical world. 

AR is often used in gaming, bringing a more realistic experience to gamers and engaging more senses. But it’s also helpful in the shopping experience. 

Think about it this way: Shopping online is limited to product photos. Occasionally, there’s a video or 360-degree image, but that’s not commonplace. Compare that to an AR experience you can see how a hat looks on your head or how a table fits in your kitchen. 

That’s why some brands are incorporating the technology into their strategies. Let’s take a look at 11 of the best augmented reality apps out there. 

Best augmented reality apps in 2023

1. Shopify AR

Shopify AR is an augmented reality app online store owners can use to provide an immersive shopping experience. With this app, you can use videos and 3D assets of your items to help your customers have a better understanding of their function and size—giving them more confidence to make a buying decision.

Shopify AR’s tech allows Android and iOS users to turn any setting into their own showroom. People can try on interactive versions of your product to see if it fits their style or need. Help customers get a better sense of your products’ detail, size, and scale and you should witness an increase in your average order value.

2. Houzz

A great platform for home goods and furniture sellers, Houzz is one of the top AR apps for planning interior layouts and design. Primarily a home improvement app, Houzz has ecommerce functionality, allowing users to browse and buy products in-app.

The “View in My Room” feature creates AR experiences by placing products into a photo of the user’s home—using 3D technology so the resulting image is lifelike. It even goes as far as showing what the product will look like in different lighting. Consumers can literally shop for a new couch from their couch.

3. IKEA Place

IKEA Place is another AR app for iPhone and Android focused on home décor. The Swedish furniture retailer gives shoppers a chance to put its products in their homes—no assembly required. 

This app looks at the bigger picture, taking into account your home’s entire floor plan to see which items will fit best where. Easy drag-and-drop functionality and the option to see different colors replicate the fun of the actual IKEA experience (but without the meatballs).

4. YouCam Makeup

Next on the list of augmented reality apps (Android and iOS for this one, too) is YouCam Makeup. Here, we move away from interior design and toward the artistry of cosmetics. 

Buying makeup is often a leap of faith—you might get to try on samples at the makeup counter, but fluorescent lighting plays tricks on the eyes and doesn’t account for typical selfie lighting conditions. But YouCam does, allowing shoppers to test makeup from tons of major brands with AR technology. 

5. GIPHY World

If the real world were like GIPHY World, it would be a lot more colorful and imaginative. This app combines animated GIFs and AR effects, turning photos and videos into canvases for 3D graphics (a lot like Snapchat does). 

If you’re looking to add more personality to your social media content, give GIPHY World a try. Add graphics and animated elements to product photos to give them an extra flair for a social audience. 

6. Google Lens

With great AR features, Google Lens enhances the search experience for consumers. Instead of typing in a text-based query, open the app and aim it at what you want to learn more about. Google Lens will identify the object, tell you what the text says, and even store important numbers.

Oh, and it’ll tell you where to buy the object (if it’s a product for sale online). This is just one reason why it’s important to consider a visual search strategy as part of your SEO approach. Plus, consumers can use it to translate text on a product page from over 100 languages without having to download Google Translate.

Pro tip: You can also use Google Lens from within the Google Photos apps (a hack for iOS users!) and from Google Assistant. 

7. Augment

Coming back to the home goods world, another solid app for delivering augmented reality experiences is Augment.

Augment is aimed at ecommerce store owners, who can use the app to create augmented images of their products. 

These assets are then primed for your own AR experience, whether that’s in your mobile app, on your website, at in-person activations, or via some other channel. It’s particularly handy for driving “field sales”—in other words, pop-up shops, farmers markets, event sales, and other temporary physical retail ventures. 

8. ROAR

ROAR is another one of the best AR apps also targeted to business owners. There are tons of ways to use it: create an AR-powered online store accessible when customers scan product packaging at home, incorporate AR into print ads, and even see which products and categories are most popular when experienced through AR. 

On the consumer side, the app enhances both in-store and at-home brand experiences by providing deeper, more engaging content and information about the products they’re interested in. They can browse reviews, look at pricing, and even purchase the product in-app. 

9. Amikasa 

Amikasa is one of the home-furnishing AR apps only available on iOS (no Android version is currently available). Rather than focus on a single store or brand, Amikasa aggregates products from all over the web, so shoppers can create a cohesive room without visiting every store or website. 

Users can even purchase items without ever leaving the app. Remember, more channels means more conversion opportunities. If you sell home goods, it could be worth getting your items listed on Amikasa. 

10. Snapchat

Sure, Snapchat is a social media app known for its younger user base, fun effects, and self-destructing messages. But did you know that it’s also an AR application? Those wacky-face filters showcase AR at work. 

Brands can incorporate Snapchat marketing and AR into their strategy by creating a presence and also investing in branded filters. Find out more about how to use Snapchat to promote your business.

11. Wanna Kicks

Another top AR app, Wanna Kicks is narrow in its scope. Designed specifically for sneaker lovers, Wanna Kicks puts virtual versions of footwear on your feet. You can see what they actually look like if you were to wear them—from any angle. 

And because this demographic is so socially driven, of course there’s a built-in option to share on social and solicit friends’ feedback.