Testing Augmented Reality for Your Retail App

Augmented and virtual reality is transforming many industries, and e-commerce is not an exception to this rule. Thousands of retail companies all over the world are focused on implementing virtual reality shopping features into their digital products. 

The reason for such whopping popularity of AR shopping is that the audience is becoming more and more demanding, looking for the most effective shopping methods online. An augmented reality shopping app gives customers more opportunities for trying the product before making the final purchase in a fast and easy way. So, why should your company pay attention to this new technology? What are the basic principles of augmented reality testing? Let’s find out the answers right here below. 

Augmented Reality: Exploring The Basics 

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the biggest technology trends in the past few years. AR allows us to bridge between the real physical world and the digital world and to see the real-life environment right in front of us, while using our device, with a digital augmentation overlaid on the device. 

The fundamental principle of AR is that it doesn’t really substitute the real world with the digital one. The only thing it allows to do is to supplement some virtual objects with real images in the form of 2D or 3D additives. As a result, augmented reality in retail is becoming increasingly popular since it offers people to try new clothes, accessories, and even beauty products without leaving home.

The most important thing any retailer interested in AR should know is that this technology is compatible with hundreds of various devices. This includes not only the most up-to-date head-mounted displays and glasses, but also smartphones, laptops, PCs, and even TVs. 

Brands That Offer AR Shopping Apps

So, thousands of companies now offer mind-blowing AR features to their online shoppers. But are there any popular brands among them? Sure! 

Nike 

Nike was one of the pioneers of AR shopping. Currently, one of the hottest features offered by the company is Nike Fit, an AR solution that allows customers to determine their true shoe size. The process will take no longer than a few moments. 

Sephora 

This brand is welcoming its clients with the most innovative Virtual Artist that allows them to try countless beauty products online. It is now easy to try shades, lipstick, and other types of makeup in a digital environment just by scanning your face. Moreover, some makeup tutorials are also available. 

IKEA

Will your new sofa from IKEA fit your room? With the IKEA Place AR app, this question will no longer bother you. Just point the camera to your room and see how different pieces of furniture will fit your space. 

Warby Parker 

Choosing glasses has never been easy. However, with Warby Parker’s augmented reality shopping app, you can now try various glasses without visiting a real shop and even share your photos with friends. 

AR: Top Benefits For Pro Retailers

The benefits of augmented reality are impressive. Just take a look at the most important ones below. 

• Minimizing returns – if the customer chooses a product in a more precise way, the return rates will significantly drop. 
• Collecting info about clients’ preferences – the products that the customers try online to reflect their shopping patterns. 
• Boost customer loyalty – clients enjoy using innovative solutions, and AR is one of the best options retailers can now offer.
• Reducing staff costs – AR allows opening fewer physical shops and hiring less personnel.
• Rocket launch sales – trying new products becomes easier for customers, significantly driving sales of the companies that implement AR retail solutions. 

Common Challenges of AR Testing

So, you’ve decided to add some AR features to your retail app. But how to make sure the new feature will smoothly work for most of your clients? What obstacles can your company face when bringing your AR features to life? 

Device Diversification

Customers use hundreds of various devices for shopping. Not only these are smartphones, but other types of gadgets that use different operating systems and have completely different parameters. It might be a true challenge to cover the maximum number of devices your clients use for shopping. 

Unique Hardware Requirements 

Each device has its individual features and functionality. Thus, it requires various development and testing approaches. It is crucial to avoid any specific hardware issues, including those related to using different sensors, lenses, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and others.

Need to Test In Various Environments 

The customers will use the retail app in various conditions. For example, some clients will use lighter or darker environments, use various distances, change the angles and orientation, and movement speed when trying the AR app. 

Platform Diversification / Cross-Platform Testing 

For maximum coverage, it is important to test any retail app that uses augmented reality on different platforms such as: 

• Operating systems: Windows, macOS, iOS, Unity for mobile AR.
• Browsers: Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, IE. As for Opera, Samsung Internet, and Vivaldi, these browsers are optional. 
• Mobile: Variants of Android and iOS operating systems.

User Guides

Augmented reality is complex technology. It is more complicated to use and activate, compared to traditional alternatives used in retail shops. Therefore, it is also important to test all the user guides and manuals on how to use the technology, designed for the customers. Make sure that all the video how-tos and text instructions are understandable, easy-to-follow, and precise. 

Benefits of AR Testing With Crowd Testing

Currently, crowd testing remains one of the most effective solutions for AR testing. The reason is that it can effectively cope with all the challenges in the quality assurance process, allow you to improve your application, and save costs. What types of testing can crowd testing offer? 

Functional Testing

It is crucial to make sure that all the elements of your AR application are executed according to their functional requirements. Functional testing offered by crowd testing services is right here to help. 

Usability Testing

Double-check that your product perfectly fits the expectations, needs, and demands of your clients. This type of testing is designed exactly for these purposes. 

Screen Orientation and Device Coverage 

Cover the maximum number of various devices with different operating systems, screens, and technical parameters. Crowd testing is the one and only solution that will help you with this task. 

Testing By Real People On Real Devices

Applications that support augmented reality are based on effective interaction between a human and a digital product. Therefore, automated testing should no longer remain the one and only way to test an app. 

To make sure the application will work properly and fit the needs of the customers, it is vital to let it be checked by human quality assurance professionals on real devices and in real environments. There is no machine or technology that can substitute the role of the human tester when it comes to augmented reality. 

Scale Up or Down at a Quick Notice and Only Pay for Used time

We know that testing has different requirements based on the development life cycle or your product launch milestones. You really don’t need to test at the same capacity each month. Ubertesters flexible business models allows you to test “Just-when-needed” and truly pay as you go. This allows you to test as desired and still maintain full control over your budget. 

Ubertesters offers all the benefits of crowd testing of the retail apps that support augmented reality. Want to know more? Contact us at sales@ubertesters.com for more information.