Big Box Retail Push

A big-box retailer, whose stores are large and even intimidating, wants to use AR to improve the shopping experience and increase revenue. They provide shoppers with loaner tablets, and also offer a downloadable app for customers’ own devices.

The primary function of the AR is to serve as a visual directory; the retail departments are marked by large signs hanging in the air over their locations. Because they exist virtually, they can always be oriented towards the shopper, the size of the typeface can increase as a function of distance to the shopper, and the store can be re-organized without having to re-arrange all the physical signage.

The AR works interactively; the customer can ask for help finding the batteries, barbecue supplies, or lingerie; pointers appear on the floor and a brilliant star appears over the destination, while all the other department signage vanishes.

The AR also is a marketing platform; the contents of the shelves are highlighted when there are specials, or other products which the retailer thinks need bringing to the customer’s attention. If the customer is using their own device, they have the option of signing in to the system with an account that’s linked to their loyalty card. When the system is guided by knowledge of the customer’s shopping history, it can be immensely more effective at highlighting items that are apt to be of interest and use to the customer.