Ensuring your event is geared for success starts with meticulous planning. Planning your event is as crucial as executing its production. Experienced event planners will tell you if there’s one thing they always pay attention to is the very first stage - event layout design. Making sure the event layout is designed efficiently, and the floor plan of the venue is used to create the most functional space is the foundation of building a successful event.

Bridging the Digital Divide with ARitize3D

Navigating the e-commerce landscape, retailers grapple with the challenge of making their online storefronts resonate with and captivate the modern consumer. Traditional methods of showcasing products, with their reliance on static imagery and text, increasingly fall short of engaging customers deeply or conveying the full potential of items on offer. This gap in the digital shopping experience often leads to a disconnect, where customers are left wanting more information and assurance before committing to a purchase. ARitize3D steps into this breach with a solution that brings products to life through 3D modeling, addressing key e-commerce challenges head-on and redefining the online shopping journey.

Elevating Product Visualization

The first hurdle in e-commerce is the limitation of traditional product visualization methods. Customers are left to interpret how products might look in real life or in their own spaces, which can lead to uncertainty and dissatisfaction. ARitize3D's 3D modeling technology transforms this aspect by providing immersive, interactive product experiences. Unlike static images, 3D models allow customers to view products from every angle and in great detail, replicating an in-store shopping experience online. This elevated visualization not only aids in bridging the gap between digital and physical retail but also significantly reduces the ambiguity surrounding product appearances, leading to more informed and confident purchase decisions.

Enhancing Customer Engagement

Another challenge online retailers face is engaging customers in a meaningful way. In a digital space where attention spans are short, engaging customers beyond the superficial level is crucial for conversion and retention. ARitize3D harnesses the power of 3D modeling to create interactive product experiences that captivate users. By allowing potential buyers to customize and interact with products in real-time, retailers can foster a deeper connection between customers and their offerings. This interactive engagement not only boosts time spent on site but also enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty, as users become active participants in their shopping journey.

Boosting Buyer Confidence and Reducing Returns

High return rates plague many e-commerce platforms, often resulting from discrepancies between product expectations and reality. ARitize3D addresses this issue head-on by enabling augmented reality (AR) experiences, allowing customers to visualize products in their intended environment before making a purchase. This technology helps eliminate doubts regarding size, fit, and aesthetics, which are common causes for returns. By providing a clearer understanding of how products will look and function in real life, ARitize3D significantly boosts buyer confidence and reduces the likelihood of returns, creating a win-win situation for both retailers and consumers.

Streamlining the Path to Purchase

The journey from product discovery to purchase is often fraught with friction points that can deter potential buyers. ARitize3D streamlines this path by integrating 3D modeling and AR directly into e-commerce platforms, providing a seamless and intuitive user experience. This integration not only simplifies the decision-making process for customers but also positions brands as innovative leaders in their respective industries. By removing barriers to purchase and making the shopping experience more enjoyable and efficient, ARitize3D helps retailers increase conversion rates and drive sales.

Why Choose ARitize3D?

In a market saturated with e-commerce solutions, ARitize3D stands out for its comprehensive approach to overcoming digital retail challenges. By combining state-of-the-art 3D modeling with practical AR applications, ARitize3D provides an all-encompassing solution that enhances product visualization, engages customers on a deeper level, instills confidence in purchase decisions, and streamlines the shopping experience. For retailers looking to distinguish themselves in the crowded online marketplace, ARitize3D offers the tools and technology to not just compete but excel.

In conclusion, as e-commerce continues to evolve, so too must the strategies retailers employ to captivate and satisfy their customers. ARitize3D represents the forefront of this evolution, offering an innovative solution to traditional e-commerce challenges. By embracing ARitize3D's 3D modeling capabilities, retailers can not only overcome these hurdles but also redefine what it means to shop online, setting new standards for customer engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty in the digital age.

The Digital Shift in Fitness Equipment Sales

In an age where online shopping has become the norm, sporting goods companies face the challenge of presenting large fitness equipment and workout machines in a way that resonates with consumers. Traditional photographs and descriptions, while useful, often fall short of conveying the full value of these items. Enter 3D models – a dynamic solution that enhances product visualization, boosts customer engagement, and ultimately, increases sales.

Enhancing Product Visualization

One of the main hurdles in selling large fitness equipment online is the inability for customers to fully grasp the size, scale, and functionality of products through standard images. 3D models address this issue head-on by allowing potential buyers to explore equipment from every angle, providing a comprehensive view that static images simply cannot match.

Key Benefits:

• Detailed Exploration: Customers can interact with 3D models, rotating and zooming to inspect every detail, from the texture of the materials to the mechanics of the equipment.
• Informed Decisions: This level of interaction ensures that customers make more informed purchasing decisions, reducing the likelihood of returns due to unmet expectation

Boosting Customer Engagement and Satisfaction

The interactive nature of 3D models significantly increases customer engagement. Shoppers spend more time on product pages, exploring the features and functionalities of the equipment, which leads to a deeper connection with the product and a higher probability of conversion.

• Increased Time on Page: The immersive experience captivates users, encouraging them to spend more time engaging with the product and less time bouncing between sites.
• Enhanced Satisfaction: By providing a virtual "try-before-you-buy" experience, 3D models ensure customers are confident in their purchase, leading to higher satisfaction rates.

Streamlining the Customer Journey

Integrating 3D models into e-commerce platforms streamlines the customer journey from discovery to purchase. This seamless integration ensures a frictionless shopping experience, encouraging quicker decision-making and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.

Simplified Navigation: Easy access to 3D models and AR features directly on product pages eliminates the need for guesswork, making the path to purchase clear and straightforward.
Efficient Comparison: Customers can quickly compare different models and configurations without the need to visit a physical store, saving time and effort.

A Winning Strategy for Sporting Goods Companies

For sporting goods companies, especially those specializing in large fitness equipment, the integration of 3D models into their e-commerce platforms is not just a trend – it's a strategic move towards future-proofing their business. By enhancing product visualization, boosting customer engagement, and building confidence in purchase decisions, 3D models are setting a new standard in online retail for the fitness industry. Embrace this technology to stay competitive, meet customer expectations, and drive sales in the digital era.

Unlocking the Potential of Visual Commerce in Kitchen Retail

In the competitive kitchen industry, visual commerce is not just an option—it's a necessity. ARitize3D is at the forefront of this shift, offering 3D configurators and augmented reality (AR) solutions that transform the online shopping experience. This article delves into strategies for optimizing kitchen visuals to captivate customers and drive sales.

Enhancing the Cabinet Buying Journey with Visual Commerce

In today's competitive market, providing an immersive shopping experience is key to capturing the attention of potential customers. For cabinet sellers, leveraging the power of visual commerce through ARitize3D's 3D configurators and augmented reality (AR) technology offers a dynamic way to enhance customer interaction and drive sales.

The Visual Shift in Vanity Shopping

In the realm of online shopping, visual commerce stands out by offering an enriched, interactive experience. This is particularly true for vanity shopping, where the ability to visualize products in high detail significantly influences purchasing decisions. Through 3D visualization, customization options, and augmented reality (AR), customers gain a deeper connection with products, leading to a more informed and confident purchase.

Introduction to 3D eCommerce Performance Tracking

In the dynamic landscape of online retail, adopting a 3D eCommerce strategy offers a competitive edge. However, the real challenge lies in gauging its effectiveness. To ensure your 3D visuals are not just eye-catching but also profitable, tracking performance through key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential.

Online shopping offers unparalleled convenience, yet it often falls short of giving shoppers a realistic feel for the product. This gap can lead to hesitation, lower conversion rates, and increased product returns. As e-commerce evolves, technologies that bridge this gap gain critical importance, with 3D e-commerce tools leading the charge.

In today's fast-paced digital marketplace, e-commerce platforms continually seek innovative ways to meet evolving consumer expectations. One of the most significant advancements in this space is 3D product photography. This technology is not just changing the game; it's setting a new standard for online shopping experiences.

Discover how ARitize3D's visual space planning tool can transform the way consumers shop for sectionals, enhancing satisfaction and driving sales.

In the digital age, e-commerce platforms continuously seek innovative ways to enhance the online shopping experience, especially in the home decor and furniture sectors. ARitize3D emerges as a pivotal tool for retailers, offering a dynamic and interactive approach to buying sectionals online. Here’s how leveraging ARitize3D can redefine the shopping journey for your customers and significantly boost your sales.

Enhancing Customer Interaction with Visual Commerce

Visual commerce transcends traditional marketing by offering an interactive and immersive shopping experience. This digital approach enables customers to visualize products in their environment, making the online shopping experience more engaging and informative. Interactive 3D models and augmented reality (AR) features allow customers to explore products from every angle, significantly enhancing their interaction with the brand.

In the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce, retailers continuously seek innovative solutions to enhance the customer shopping experience and reduce return rates. Augmented Reality (AR) 3D experiences have emerged as a transformative strategy in this domain. By integrating AR technology, businesses can provide customers with a more interactive and immersive shopping experience, ultimately leading to more informed purchasing decisions and fewer returns.

In an era where digital innovation is pivotal, Augmented Reality (AR) 3D experiences are redefining consumer engagement in advertising. By merging the digital and physical worlds, AR provides a unique, immersive platform for brands to connect with their audience. But what makes AR 3D experiences so effective in capturing consumer attention and driving action? 

Fashionistas, imagine this: a world where you can try on clothes without leaving your room. No more size-guessing, no more fitting room lines. Welcome to the era of virtual fitting rooms, where Augmented Reality (AR) is changing the game for online fashion shopping.

The Future of E-commerce is AR 3D! Are you Prepared?  

Ever tried buying a sofa online and ended up with something more suited for a dollhouse? Ah, the joys of two-dimensional shopping! But fear not, the era of guessing games is fading faster than the popularity of fidget spinners. Welcome to the age where online shopping gets a much-needed facelift, thanks to the wonders of 3D modeling.

Boldly Going Beyond the Flat Screen

Remember when shopping online was like trying to decipher a cryptic message? "Will this color match my curtains? Does this table actually fit in my tiny living room?" Well, wave goodbye to those days. With 3D modeling, you get to rotate, zoom, and explore products as if they've magically leapt off your screen and into your room. It's like having a personal showroom without the salesperson breathing down your neck.

Aritize3D: The Chuck Norris of Online Shopping

Enter Aritize3D, the roundhouse kick to the traditional shopping experience. By integrating Aritize3D, retailers allow you, yes YOU, to engage with products in a whole new dimension. It's like if your online shopping cart and a VR headset had a baby. Suddenly, that couch isn't just a picture; it's an experience, beckoning you to imagine life’s pivotal moments on its cushions.

The Laughter in the Room (It’s You, Because You’re Happy)

The true beauty of 3D? The reduction in buyer's remorse. You know exactly what you're getting, and suddenly, the living room of your dreams is no longer just in your dreams. Plus, imagine fewer returns: fewer trips to the post office, fewer awkward interactions with the delivery guy. It’s a win-win, wrapped in virtual reality.

So, as we sail into the sunset of e-commerce evolution, remember that 3D modeling isn't just changing the game; it's redefining it. With tools like Aritize3D, the future of online shopping isn't just bright; it's downright dazzling. And hey, who knows? Maybe one day, we'll laugh about the days when we had to shop in 2D. But until then, let's enjoy the ride into the third dimension.

Imagine walking through your favorite store, but instead of stepping outside, you're cozily nested on your couch. Welcome to the new reality of shopping, augmented by the power of Augmented Reality (AR). This isn't a distant dream; it's the present reshaping the retail landscape and consumer behavior. Dive into this transformative journey and discover how AR and Aritize3D are crafting this new shopping saga.

Bold and Brave: The New Shopper’s Journey

The digital era ushers in an innovative shopping paradigm, making 'try before you buy' a literal concept. AR enables customers to visualize products in their own space, be it furniture in the living room or sunglasses on their face, thus offering a personalized shopping experience unprecedented in e-commerce history. This visual certainty significantly impacts decision-making, escalating from pondering to purchasing.

Aritize3D: Your AR Catalyst in E-commerce

Enter Aritize3D, the wizard behind the curtain, making AR adoption seamless for brands. Integrating Aritize3D into your e-commerce platform means transforming your online catalog into an interactive AR experience. Imagine your customers placing 3D models of products in their environment with just a click. That’s not just shopping; that’s an adventure.

Consumer Confidence: The Hidden Gem of AR

The magic of AR lies not just in visual appeal but in building trust. By allowing consumers to 'experience' products virtually, AR mitigates doubt and fosters confidence. This is where Aritize3D shines, offering precise and realistic 3D models that close the gap between virtual and reality.

The Future Beckons: AR’s Expanding Horizon

As AR becomes mainstream, its applications in e-commerce are only bound to grow, shaping a future where shopping is an immersive, interactive, and integral part of our digital lives. Aritize3D is at the forefront, steering this futuristic shopping vessel into new realms of possibilities and experiences.

The narrative of online shopping is being rewritten with the script of Augmented Reality. As we embrace this new reality, Aritize3D stands as a pivotal tool in this evolutionary tale, turning browsing into an engaging, interactive, and confident act. Welcome to the future of shopping, where reality is augmented and dreams are just a click away.

Picture this: You're browsing online, hunting for that perfect pair of shoes. But it's just a picture. How do you leap from pondering to purchasing? Enter the hero of our story: 3D modeling. This isn't your grandma's online shopping. This is e-commerce with a techy twist, where your screen becomes a showroom.

The Magic Behind 3D Modeling:

Once upon a time, online shopping was a flat affair—2D images and a leap of faith. But why settle for a flat when you can go full-on fabulous? 3D modeling in e-commerce is like having X-ray vision. Rotate, zoom, and inspect every stitch and sole without leaving your couch. It's shopping made less of guesswork and more of a "heck yes"

Why It's More Than Just a Gimmick:

You might think, "Sure, 3D looks cool, but is it just a novelty?" Not quite. It's about building bridges—between what you see and what you get. It reduces returns, saves money, and hey, it's also eco-friendly. Fewer returns mean fewer delivery trucks on the road. Who knew shopping could feel like a superhero act?

Enter Aritize3D: Your E-Commerce Superpower:

Now, how do you sprinkle this 3D magic onto your online store? Meet Aritize3D. It's like giving your products a virtual life. Imagine your customers exploring a watch, feeling the texture, and admiring the shine, all in 3D. Aritize3D is your digital wand, turning your e-commerce site from meh to marvelous.

The Future is Here, and It's Model-icious:

The future of shopping isn't just around the corner; it's here, dancing in 3D. And it's not just about looking good; it's about understanding and experiencing products in a whole new way. With Aritize3D, you're not just selling; you're engaging, entertaining, and educating.

In today's fast-paced world, online shopping has become a staple of our daily lives. But as technology evolves, so do consumer expectations. The latest game-changer? Augmented Reality (AR) and 3D Modeling. This post explores the revolutionary impact of these technologies on e-commerce and how Aritize3D is leading the charge in transforming online shopping experiences.

In a marketplace where consumer expectations are at an all-time high, Nextech3D.ai stands at the forefront of e-commerce innovation. Our strategic alliance with industry giants like Amazon underlines the growing importance of 3D visualization in retail. This innovative approach goes beyond traditional e-commerce practices, providing a rich, interactive experience for customers and a suite of competitive advantages for brands.

A Realistic Preview: Elevating the Online Shopping Experience

Our 3D models are not just images; they are virtual embodiments of products. They offer customers an in-depth preview, enabling them to interact with products as they would in a physical store. This level of detail fosters confidence and satisfaction in the shopping experience, leading to a more informed purchase decision. When customers can almost feel the texture and see the craftsmanship through their screens, the gap between virtual and reality narrows, significantly enhancing their purchasing journey.

For most people, creating or renovating their dream home, office, restaurant, or retail space requires a lot of planning and a considerable investment of time and money. Clients either rely on interior designers and architects to help them design and bring to life their ideas or apply a do-it-yourself approach designing their own space. Building mood boards, crafting color palettes, sourcing furniture and accent decor, and finally placing them in their chosen environment - from research and planning to execution, all stages of decor involve significant time and effort.

The customer lifecycle consists of 5 critical stages:

Social media is one of the major domains in which the strong influence of augmented reality (AR) can be felt, and it has been significant, especially in the past few years. The world's most widely used social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, appear to be impacted by AR, and new AR technologies are getting released regularly. 

Interactive floor plans are, without a doubt, a game-changer for event planners. This innovative technology allows event planners to visualize and design event spaces dynamically, exceeding client expectations. In this blog, we will explore how interactive floor plans are transforming the event planning industry and why they have become an indispensable tool for professionals in the industry.

As technological advancements continue to reshape the design industry, one tool that stands out as a driving force behind the transformation of ideas into tangible realities is digital prototyping. It has revolutionized how products are conceptualized and redefined the entire product development process. As a result, it has become an indispensable asset for designers, engineers, and industries. This blog explores digital prototyping and its undeniable importance in product design.

In today’s digital age, stunning graphics alone are no longer sufficient to make your eCommerce or B2B website stand out. To truly captivate visitors and assist them in making informed decisions, you must provide immersive visuals that let them experience your products and services. This is where the power of 3D and augmented reality (AR) comes into play. While these technologies might seem complex, they are, in fact, quite accessible. In this blog, we'll explore the best practices to effectively embed 3D models on websites, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience.

Augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a transformative tool in the rapidly evolving technology landscape. AR in business isn't merely a buzzword; it's a dynamic and innovative approach with boundless potential. In this article, we will look into the different dimensions of augmented reality for business, explore its applications, and understand how it can revolutionize various industries.

Augmented Reality (AR), a technology that overlays digital information into the real world, is transforming various aspects of our lives, and education is no exception. One exciting application of AR in the educational context is campus navigation. In this blog post, we'll explore how universities and colleges can harness the benefits of AR using campus wayfinding.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, powerful branding and marketing are the foundation of success for businesses across industries. How your brand communicates and connects with your audience can make all the difference. In this context, one such innovation that has gained immense popularity is 3D modeling. The power of 3D modeling extends far beyond the realm of gaming and entertainment; it is a powerful tool that can take your brand to new heights. In this blog, we will look at the benefits of 3D modeling and understand how it can transform your brand into a visual powerhouse.

One of the most innovative and captivating developments in advertising is 3D advertising. Over the years, it has gained momentum and transformed how brands interact with their audience. Recently, 3D commercials have become very popular in the industry for all the correct reasons. They provide the most alluring customer experience that captivates and engages them more deeply, widening the sales funnel, boosting conversion rates, and boosting business revenue. The advantages of 3D advertising for businesses, its application in different domains, and the future trends are covered in great length in this article.

The world of web design is constantly evolving, and the incorporation of three-dimensional (3D) elements has emerged as a game-changer. Do you want to test some innovative 3D concepts for your upcoming web design project? You must have your share of questions about the use of 3D designs. How useful is it for different types of organizations and companies? Is the answer to this question still a mystery? Learn about the key advantages of 3D in web design in this blog. From captivating user engagement to revolutionizing product displays, the possibilities are vast. Let's explore how websites with 3D models are reshaping the digital landscape.

Mobile event apps have become a game-changing tool in today's dynamic event landscape, revolutionizing how attendees and event organizers experience various events such as conferences, trade shows, meetings, etc. These apps serve as comprehensive event hubs, offering various features and information accessible to event participants. This article dives deep into the world of mobile event apps, uncovering their benefits, features, selection criteria and future trends. Let’s get started!

Navigating large and intricate indoor venues such as malls, hotels, and universities can be a challenging experience for visitors, akin to navigating a complex maze. The traditional methods of solving this problem at venues so far have been location markers, signboards, and wayfinding kiosks with maps for navigation and, if all else fails - calls to customer support asking for directions. However, these solutions come with their own set of challenges, for instance, limited accessibility, and they’re often difficult to follow. 

There is no debate that 3D content surpasses 2D content in marketing due to its visual appeal, clarity, and immersiveness. Due to the increasing popularity of 3D content, the metaverse, and the AR industry growth we are witnessing today, the paradigm shift of content from 2D to 3D is assured. The number of brands leveraging 3D and AR for digital marketing will only increase. Many brands are already in a race to define what it means to be a business creating immersive 3D experiences—in the Metaverse or even on their websites and apps. This has also created a need for simpler, better, faster, and innovative 3D content creation software—a challenge that Nextech3D.ai has undertaken to resolve with its creative 3D design studio, Toggle3D. 

So far, most ecommerce websites have been showcasing their products in 2D, through a series of photos from different angles – not because 2D is better, but because 3D modeling has been expensive and insufficiently photo-realistic. Well… not anymore! Thanks to the breakthroughs in 3D modeling, AR, VR, AI technology and companies like Nextech3D.ai – 3D ecommerce is changing the game for good. Ecommerce websites can now offer visitors an in-store-like immersive viewing experience by showcasing realistic 3D models of products in augmented reality (AR). This has led to increased customer engagement, higher conversion rates, larger orders on average, and significantly reduced returns.

Until the advent of Toggle3D, 3D designing has always been a skill to be learned. Companies have had to assemble entire teams for 3D designing – which involves the complicated tasks of 3D texturing and converting their files into web-friendly formats. However, by tapping into the immense potential of cutting-edge AI technology, Toggle3D.ai has developed and launched a 3D design studio - Toggle3D. This innovative SaaS product makes the whole process easy enough for teams, skilled individuals, and anyone with no prior 3D design training to pull off 3D designing like a pro!

At a glance:

In today's fast-paced world, technology has become an indispensable part of our lives, aiding us in various tasks. While outdoor navigation systems have long been available, indoor navigation has emerged as a revolutionary concept, particularly for individuals with accessibility needs. This blog explores the significance of indoor navigation for accessibility and its transformative impact on people's lives.

The future of augmented reality in ecommerce is here already, and let’s just say it’s about to get even brighter than expected! An ecommerce business’s capability of attracting and retaining customers is the ultimate measure of its success. A great way to ensure it consistently, in the long run, is by providing a wonderful and engaging customer experience. Integrating an AR experience into the online shopping process helps ecommerce businesses achieve exactly that, in a way that hasn’t been quite possible in the past. But with the latest advancements in mobile augmented reality technology, most ecommerce businesses can now easily leverage augmented reality to boost their sales. As for the usage of AR technology, the number of AR users in the world is expected to reach 1.73 billion by 2024, according to Statista. So, now is the time to practically make the most of this exciting technology by enhancing the online shopping experience on your ecommerce website. 

In the fast-paced world of event management, staying ahead of emerging trends is crucial for delivering memorable and impactful experiences. As we step into 2023, the industry is witnessing a wave of transformative trends that are reshaping how events are planned, organized and executed. Event professionals across the globe are embracing innovative event technologies and marketing strategies to engage attendees and create unforgettable moments. In this blog, we will explore some of the top event management trends that are set to dominate the landscape in 2023. Let us dive right into it!

In today's rapidly evolving eCommerce landscape, captivating visual experiences are the key to standing out from the crowd. Traditional product images, though essential, often fall short of conveying the true essence of a product. This is where 3D product visualization and AR product visualization come into play, revolutionizing the way businesses present their offerings.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer across various industries, and the retail sector is no exception. With its ability to automate processes, analyze vast amounts of data and provide personalized experiences, AI is transforming the way retailers operate and engage with customers. In this blog post, we will delve into the role of AI in retail industry, exploring its impact on customer experience, inventory management, supply chain operations and the exciting realms of AR product visualization and AI in shopping.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently gained a lot of popularity for its impressive visual artistry. However, art is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the entire scope of AI-powered creation in general. One of its most promising fields of application is AI based product design – or simply using AI for product design at different stages. It can not only save costs and time, but also help companies create better products. The possible applications are so many that it’s not far-fetched to say that AI and product design would be almost inseparable in the future.

In today's hyper-competitive e-commerce landscape, businesses need to constantly innovate to differentiate themselves from their rivals. One increasingly popular way to achieve this is through product personalization. While some may view it as an added frill, the truth is that product personalization is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. 71% of consumers today expect businesses to provide them with personalization for their products, according to a study in 2021. The same study also reflected that 76% of consumers were frustrated when a business was unable to offer it in a post-pandemic e-commerce world.

At a glance:
- Introduction
- What is 3D product rendering?
- 3D product rendering vs. product photography
- How to create 3D product images?
- Benefits of 3D product rendering
- Best practices for 3D product rendering
- Conclusion
- About ARitize3D Configurator by Nextech3D.ai


In today's highly competitive e-commerce landscape, capturing the attention of online shoppers can be quite challenging. While numerous factors influence a customer’s buying journey, one popular trend that has revolutionized this process is undoubtedly 3D product images.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has become increasingly important in the modern world due to its numerous applications and benefits and is quickly changing how we live our lives. In this blog post, we will explore why AI is so important in today's world, what are the reasons that make AI unavoidable and significant, and how it is shaping our future. Let us deep dive into this! 

There have been rumblings of the metaverse for some time but it’s finally broken into the public space as one of the hottest and most popular topics. This is in part thanks to the recent rebranding of Facebook to Meta as the company strives to deliver the space the metaverse needs for entertainment, socializing, and work productivity.  

But what exactly is the metaverse? A survey conducted by Insider Intelligence to dissect the attitudes toward the metaverse among U.S. internet users found that while 23% expressed the desire to explore the metaverse, nearly a third of survey respondents still don’t understand what the metaverse is, showcasing the need for a simple way to enter and participate in this new space. In this blog, we discuss the benefits and challenges of these emerging technologies, and share tips on how to prepare for and enter the metaverse. 

​Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that has been gaining a lot of attention in recent years. It has a wide range of applications and has the potential to change the way we interact with our world. In this article, we'll explore the history, workings, applications, challenges and future of AR technology. 
 
At a glance: 
- What is Augmented Reality Technology? 
- What is the History of AR? 
- What are the key factors that led to the growth of AR? 
- What are the Applications of AR?  
- What is the Difference Between AR & VR? 
- What are the Challenges of AR? 
- What is the Future of AR? 
- Conclusion

What is Augmented Reality Technology? 

Augmented Reality (AR) technology is a type of technology that overlays digital information onto the real world, creating a hybrid environment where virtual and physical elements coexist. AR technology uses cameras, sensors, and computer vision algorithms to track the real-world environment and superimpose digital content onto it in real-time. AR can be experienced through a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart glasses, and headsets. AR technology has applications in a variety of industries, including gaming, entertainment, retail, education, and healthcare. With continued innovation and development, AR technology has the potential to transform the way we interact with the world around us.

ARway is pleased to introduce our latest eBook, A Game Plan for Re-Inventing the In-Stadium Experience: Augmented Reality Wayfinding for Stadiums That Goes Beyond Indoor Navigation. 

Nextech AR Solutions is pleased to introduce our latest free eBook, Flipping the Switch on 3D Design. It considers consumer expectations for rich digital experiences - particularly in the context of ecommerce - and how 3D technology makes it possible to meet them. It also places the company’s Toggle3D Design Studio in the broader continuum of product design and associated technologies. 

The average person spends nearly seven hours a day looking at a screen, and nearly one-third of adults say they are online “almost constantly” as they browse websites, engage on social media, or shop for products and services.  

As we rush headlong into 2023, many people will be looking for ways to make the New Year better than the current one. Resolving to do a better job of this or that is how many people choose to frame the coming year. But while many are called, few are chosen for success.  

Ah, ‘tis the season to be jolly - particularly if you are an online retailer. According to the National Retail Federation, this holiday season is going to be one for the record books, with sales in November and December expected to reach between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion - a six to eight percent increase over 2021. This year, on Black Friday alone, online sales hit a record-breaking $9.12 billion dollars. 

Jeremy Minnick is taking his success story to the next level, leaping from Map D's Founding CEO into a board of directors role at Georgia Society of Association Executives (GSAE) - an organization he feels deeply connected to and with which he has enjoyed a long and close relationship. He steps forward confidently, embracing who he has become both personally and professionally.  

With the holiday season fast approaching, online retailers are scrambling to make the most of this special time of year. As little children everywhere are making their wishlists, retailers - and the broader ecosystem that supports them - have some wishes too. Among them is a better way to make their products come to life for shoppers - and 3D modeling and augmented reality (AR) is what every good online seller is hoping to get their hands on. 

We are living in a golden age of product design and development. Not that there haven’t been amazing and wonderful products in the past, but it has never been easier for designers to engage with lighting, materials, colors, and textures. While there are powerful tools out there for doing these things, they demand steep learning curves, large investments, or are difficult to scale. These limitations are holding back even more exciting designs and products from ever reaching store shelves or consumers' hands. Thankfully, that is starting to change. 

The number one question that brings people to Map D is a deceptively simple one: what is a trade show?  

In late July, VentureBeat reported on plans by eBay to make no-code/low-code 3D modeling tools available to sellers. As someone who spends much of their time thinking about and working with teams to develop this type of technology - and helping ecommerce merchants of every type sell more effectively - the story caught our attention.   

The power of 3D models and augmented reality (AR) is supercharging the world of ecommerce. It is being used by major commerce platforms, such as Amazon, Wayfair, Shopify, eBay, and more. It is being tapped by sellers of every kind - from large direct-to-consumer brands to mom-and-pop sellers. Regardless of the platform, regardless of the product (assuming, of course, that it is a physical object), and regardless of the merchants, 3D and AR can have a huge impact.  

The multi-trillion dollar ecommerce industry is moving to Web 3.0 - and fast! Accelerating the adoption is the growing excitement around 3D models and augmented reality, which increase engagement around the online experience - particularly when it comes to ecommerce.  

In a move that further cements Nextech AR Solutions’ position as the leading integrated 3D/AR environment for Shopify merchants, the company’s ARitize Configurator technology is now fully-integrated into the ARitize 3D app in Shopify.  

When it comes to groundbreaking technology, few things can match the pure “gee-whiz” factor of holograms. Ever since Princess Leia’s flickering form appeared imploring Obi-Wan Kenobi for help in Star Wars, people have been fascinated by the technology. More recently, supergroup ABBA has produced ABBA Voyage, a “live” concert with digital avatars of the band’s members singing and dancing for fans’ delight. 

Nextech AR Solution’s CEO is Focused on What Matters: Innovation, Adaptation and Value

On the June 2022 episode of Wall Street Reporter’s NEXT SUPER STOCK LIVE! podcast,  Nextech AR Solutions CEO Evan Gappelberg spoke with Jack Marks, CEO of Wall Street Reporter, about the spinout of the company’s augmented reality spatial mapping platform, ARitize Maps. Evan also used the opportunity to talk about the importance of focus, as well as the need for flexibility in a changing market. 

As a successful founder and seasoned tech CEO, Evan wanted to talk about new developments in the industry, as well as the company’s technology. As he explained in the interview: 

“When I founded Nextech back in 2018, it was on the premise that we were going to take on the augmented reality market, create 3D models for eCommerce and really become the 3D model supplier for all the eCommerce sites globally.” 

That goal led to many opportunities - and much growth - in the ensuing years. One of the opportunities that came up was the purchase of an innovative young technology company, AR Way, now known as ARway and soon to be a stand-alone company. 

“ARway is real world spatial mapping. So we could map an arena, a stadium, the insides of a house or a building, museums, college campuses. We have the technology to create the spatial map, which is essentially a 3D point cloud. And then we have a studio which allows you to drag and drop it in and populate the map with 3D assets. That is an unheard of end-to-end solution.” 

Exciting developments in the CAD-to-poly market were also top of mind: 

“I want to talk about the CAD-to-poly for a minute. It is transformational technology. Today, we essentially use that tech in house, but the goal - and what we're building today - is a SaaS platform where we can turn the tech over to the manufacturer, allowing them to create 3D models themselves. For us, it becomes a monthly licensing fee revenue stream.”  

The potential of ARway as a stand-alone company - and CAD-to-poly as a technology - are enormous. The ability to recognize and unlock their potential are examples of Nextech AR Solutions’ ability to understand the needs of the market. 

“E-com is a five trillion-dollar megatrend that's going to ten trillion. It's growing rapidly. It's unstoppable. I'm talking about e-commerce in general, even with the current supply chain issues. Brick and mortar stores are closing and what they're doing is investing more in their e-com business. And I'm hearing this in stereo every week when I’m talking with a major brand, a major e-com retailer. These companies are looking for a partner to take them into this world of 3D.” 

Despite the tremendous growth in e-commerce during the pandemic, that market has started to soften, which led to new acquisitions designed to move Nextech AR Solutions forward.  

“The massive growth from the pandemic was waning. As we rolled into the second half of 2021, really the summer of 2021, we acquired two companies [ARway and Threedy.ai]  that were transformative.” 

Evan is an example of a CEO who knows where his focus needs to be and is doing everything in his power to identify opportunities to deliver value - to shareholders, to customers, and to partners. 

“Every day I spend time in back to back meetings with my leadership team about building the business, closing deals, bringing products to market, our investments, our burn rate, our budget, and our revenue.”  

“Increasing shareholder value is always on my mind. My default thinking is how does all this benefit my shareholders, customers, and partners. I don't really have hobbies. I'm a workaholic. I work, work, work to try and increase shareholder value.” 

This tremendous commitment by senior leadership is what has placed Nextech AR Solutions at the vanguard of 3D and augmented reality. To learn how this commitment to innovation and customer value can benefit your business, visit us here and read about AR/3D technology solutions.  

To listen to previous Wall Street Reporter’s NEXT SUPER STOCK LIVE! podcasts featuring Evan and other members of our leadership team, visit WallStreetReporter.com.  

The Map D platform - a dynamic element of the Nextech AR Solutions product family - has seen unprecedented adoption and dynamic growth, as more and more event management companies seek ways to improve the operations, experience, and impact of their offerings. With Web 3.0 becoming even more critical, Map D is poised to deliver significant results. 

Leading the Way to Better Event Management 

The Map D self-serve event management software solution provides an extensive set of features and tools for managing almost any kind of event. Map D also fits with the current move to applications and personalized experiences made possible by Web 3.0. In the events industry, organizers are creating in-person, online, and hybrid conferences and tradeshows, and Map D helps simplify and manage these events with ease.  

Map D makes an event manager’s job easier by automating or crowdsourcing complicated logistics while simplifying the sales processes and adding new revenue opportunities. Map D can also provide a companion native mobile app for in-person events or serve as a self-contained virtual venue for attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, or anyone else participating in an event. 

Whether a better way to sell floor plan space or services at trade shows, expos, or festivals or to manage speakers and schedule details during conferences or meetings, Map D does it all. Map D is designed to manage all of the dynamic elements of even the most complex events - something that requires real-time updates and the ability to share critical information with event staff, sponsors, and attendees. 

Broad and Deep Adoption 

Some of the organizations using Map D to support their events include the American Distilling Institute, the New York Library Association, and Restaurants Canada, whose RC Show 2022 included demonstrations of forward-looking technologies that can be integrated with and extend the Map D platform. These included 3D product visualizations, augmented reality wayfinding, and more to provide attendees with information, increased engagement, and an improved overall experience.  

Beyond Map D 

Map D can be integrated with other Nextech AR Solutions’ technologies - including ARway (formerly ARitize Maps), ARitize 3D, and ARitize Holograms - to give event managers the end-to-end tools to provide engaging and immersive experiences that customers want. What could be better? 

Nextech AR Solutions 

Nextech AR Solutions is fueling the growth of the metaverse with breakthrough 3D and AR solutions. Event managers, and others, who are interested in learning more about Map D and our wide range of augmented reality (“AR”) experience technologies and 3D model services should click here! 

Creating easily-navigable virtual spaces has never been more important. Merging the real and the virtual - magically mapping layers of virtual information onto the physical spaces people use every day - has become a rich and exciting field for technologists, property owners, and marketers. 

Real World Impact of Indoor Wayfinding  

Moving through large unfamiliar spaces can be time-consuming. One recent study found that 70 percent of workers on large corporate campuses waste up to 15 minutes trying to find a meeting location.  

Confusion can be costly. RetailNext, for example, found that 65 percent of shoppers cited difficulty in physically locating a product as a key source of frustration, and 67 percent reported leaving a store empty handed when they were unable to find the product they were seeking. Augmented reality wayfinding can help lead the way.   

An AR-fueled experience can lead to improved sales and engagement. According to a Harvard Business Review study, customers who used AR viewed 1.3 more products and were 20 percent more likely to make a purchase as compared with non-AR-using customers. Studies also show that 84 percent of people feel more engaged - and enjoy a more memorable experience - when it has AR elements. 

Improving Position, Location, and Navigation (PLAN) 

ARway addresses these important issues with high-accuracy AI navigation, an immersive user experience, and rich connections between people, places, and objects. ARway delivers these capabilities in an easy-to-use collaborative work environment, with comprehensive version management and control, and access deep analytics on location and user behavior in space. 

ARway does for indoor spaces what Google Maps has done for outdoor navigation. Right out of the box, ARway provides a cloud-based solution for navigation and wayfinding with AR support for the growing Position, Localization, and Navigation (PLAN) industry. Critical tools for an important and dynamic sector.  

AR Power - Code Free

The power to lead people through physical spaces is easier than ever with ARway’s “no code/low code” approach. It enables creators of all types to deliver immersive experiences that connect people, places and objects. For property owners, ARway offers a unique way to increase the value of virtual assets in physical spaces and enrich the human experience. For people, an immersive new world - one of information, navigation, and well-targeted, locationally relevant messages - can suddenly be discovered all around them. 

But ARway isn’t just for navigation nerds. The ARway Creator Portal offers a wide range of code-free capabilities for building powerful location-based AI experiences. Metaverse creators can communicate and collaborate in a way that is simple and familiar to anyone who has used a service like Discord.   

Despite its power and potential, ARway can be accessed with just a few clicks and taps. This is due to ARway’s advanced artificial intelligence. AI-generated “blueprints” of physical spaces enable the placement of persistent metaverse experiences to be created. Any camera-enabled phone or device can easily access AI to recognize surroundings for hyper-accurate location-driven applications. 

Location-based Marketing and Advertising  

Its rich feature set, accessible tools, and active Creator Community allows ARway users to do some amazing things. The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, for example, used ARway to produce music and visuals for Harmony at London Wall Place, a series of location-anchored augmented reality artworks that bring London to life.  

Hospitals, sports stadiums, retail centers, realtors and real estate developers, and art/cultural institutions are all starting to recognize what the metaverse can mean to them. ARway can make their spaces, interactions, and offerings richer and more rewarding. Here are just a few of the ways ARway can support these types of organizations:

• Hospitals and medical centers - professional staff spending too much time providing directions. ARway helps hospital administrators remove this burden and improve staff efficiency through personalized digital wayfinding. 

• Museums and Galleries - these organizations are constantly seeking new ways to engage visitors - and convert visitors to members. ARway museum directors and curators expand exhibits beyond the physical bounds of a space to create more exciting and memorable experiences.  

• Retail - customers are avoiding physical stores. Finding products, navigating sprawling spaces, and frustration are all to blame. ARway gives merchandising managers - and others - the tools they need to make shopping deeply engrossing (and unlock amazing new revenue opportunities). 

• Sports Venues - sprawling spaces that are way-finding deficient. Information and technology leaders can use ARway to improve navigation, highlight specific vendors, and make stadiums and arenas feel as familiar as the back of your hand. 

• Tradeshows and Events - same old same old sponsorship packages just aren’t cutting it any more. ARway lets event managers offer new, engaging, and unexpected sponsorship opportunities in their existing space - by moving them into the unrestricted AR-enabled metaverse. 

The ARway Platform consists of the ARway App, ARway Creator Portal, and the ARway Kit SDK. Together they provide a powerful - yet accessible - suite of capabilities that needs to be seen to be believed. You can do that by signing up for a demo. You can also contact us for SDK pricing that will allow you to experience the full capabilities of ARway. Join the ARWay Creator Community and become a metaverse master. Gain instant access to tips, best practices, and educational resources to hone your navigational skills. Create a new world and an engaging way for people to discover and navigate it!

For several years, Nextech AR Solutions has worked with Google’s 3D/AR Search team to give customers access to one of the most effective search trends out there: 3D and augmented reality (AR). What makes these approaches so powerful? For starters, Google ranks 3D models higher in organic search than 2D ones. Google also reports that conversion rates for 3D-enhanced commerce are 250 percent higher than for non-3D content, and click-through rates are 94 percent higher. Shopify, for its part, has declared that the “future of eCommerce is 3D,” and who could argue with them? Consumers prefer it, and retailers report a 40 percent drop in returns when shoppers are able to see a product in 3D or “placed” in their space via augmented reality.

Our ARitize 3D BigCommerce App stakes new ground as the AR industry’s first true self-service AR SaaS platform. BigCommerce’s mission is to help merchants sell more at every stage of growth, from small startups to mid-market businesses, to large enterprises. ARitize 3D gives BigCommerce merchants access to scalable, affordable, easy to use, and - ultimately - high-quality 3D/AR models. With just a few simple steps, merchants can use our AI-powered technology, fully integrated into BigCommerce, to create models that can help drive customer engagement and sales. 

Nextech AR Solutions’s 3D model-creation app for Shopify has given merchants around the world a smooth and simple way to create stunning 3D/AR models for their ecommerce sites. The use and impact of the app has soared since it was updated in January. Shoppers love the experience of rotating or zooming into a product to see it in all its glory. This “try before you buy” capability is transforming ecommerce! 

Augmented reality transforms the customer purchasing journey from start to finish. It’s more likely to grab the attention of prospective customers and drive larger amounts of traffic, as the ability to place and play with a product in any environment is bound to grab attention. In 2021, it was used by over 100 million shoppers. Brands and businesses can now use their usual digital display advertising channels with game-changing banners that can display fully interactive, 3D versions of the products advertised. This has proved to increase click-through rates by 32% and conversionrates by 300% in our test remarketing campaign. 

Once a sci-fi trope, then used exclusively by gamers, augmented reality (AR) is no longer just a form of entertainment. The technology is becoming a critical tool for many businesses with their sights set on scaling, modernizing, and evolving with the changing demands of consumers—particularly within the manufacturing industry. 

Consumers have now downloaded nearly 5 billion augmented reality (AR) applications, a substantial jump from just 340 million in 2016. What's more, the booming market is expected to be valued at $198 billion by 2025, an exponential increase from roughly 6 billion in 2018. 

Augmented reality (AR) is no longer science fiction—and it isn't just for gamers. Offering an interactive experience in a real-life environment, the technology essentially adds to (or augments) your immediate surroundings with virtual elements. 

AR superimposes digital imagery into your field of vision, meaning it partially or fully replaces your un-augmented view. Within this basic interpretation, there are a few different types of augmented reality. Here's what to know. 

Augmented reality (AR) is a core component of the extended reality (XR) industry. The booming market hit $28 billion in 2021 and is expected to exceed $250 billion by 2028. 

Why the exponential growth? Though AR was once used almost exclusively by gamers, the technology has the ability to make nearly every industry more efficient and optimize all facets of the world as we know it. 

Ahead, insight into the latest advancements, innovations, and developments in augmented reality. 

Shopify product customizers are becoming more and more popular. But why? Here’s an example to illustrate why a 3D product configurator is so necessary and beneficial for both business and customers alike. 

Imagine you’re a furniture business on Shopify and are ready to display a new couch that came in. Customers can choose from a variety of color swatches as well as different design patterns for this single product, so it’s important to provide visuals to help them decide which is best to match their existing décor. The last thing you want is for a high return rate on this product if you’re unable to properly visually show off the variations you’re offering. 

Studies show that consumers demand high-quality visualizations, as they expect an average of 6 images per product so, we’re most likely looking at 50+ photos just in this imaginary scenario alone. More products will understandably have even more customization and personalization options, and we’re quickly seeing how it’s not practical to photograph all these options. Costs quickly rack up as you set up studio space, a photographer, and rent equipment to meet the demand for engaging visuals. 

A Shopify product configurator and customizer is your best friend while running your Shopify store. As a busy vendor, you’ve got plenty on your plate and this type of app is low effort with high rewards! Instead of high photography costs, you can start with a single 3D model to display all your possible variations. 

Ecommerce stores continue to rapidly evolve and provide more information, further bridging the gap between online shopping and physical stores. Customers expect high quality visuals to guide their purchasing journey online and prove they’re not missing out on much in comparison to a brick-and-mortar store. 

Let’s get into how small to medium size businesses can improve and optimize their Shopify website through 3D and AR content to surpass those customer expectations. 

The pandemic has proven that Shopify merchants need to be innovative and rethink how they can improve their customers’ online journey in order to boost sales. You must create scroll-stopping, powerful visual content to capture customer attention and lead them to checkout. 

Nothing gets more visually appealing than 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) models, and with our recently launched Shopify app, any Shopify merchant can create an immersive visual customer experience. Here’s some benefits you can expect: 

1. Bridging the gap between online and in-store experiences: Brick-and-mortar used to reign supreme for convenience. Customers can easily browse, hold, touch, and inspect any product. With 3D and AR, customers enjoy an online sensory-focused shopping experience that is just as impactful as in-person. 
2. Increased confidence: Customers have a hard time feeling 100% secure in the purchase they’re considering. Gartner research notes that B2B buyers in particular don’t feel empowered to make good online purchasing decisions due to a large amount of “conflicting information.” 3D and AR provide clear visuals and get buyers on track to find the right product and make a confident purchase. 
3. Decreased returns: Standard 2D images simply don’t do the trick. That light brown chair on your computer screen may likely appear much darker once it reaches your doorstep – it's impossible to feel 100% sure. 3D and AR eliminate any uncertainty and allow them to feel secure in that what they’re seeing on their screen is exactly what they’ll receive, resulting in a 40% decrease in returns from 3D visualization and 25% decrease with AR. 

Let’s dive deep into how our Shopify app and add-ons filled with 3D and AR content can supercharge the performance of your Shopify site. 

Higher ecommerce sales — but high returns. Will this shirt in a medium size fit me? Or should I go with the large? Better get both and take advantage of a free return. How do I know that this blue couch will work with the color scheme of my living room? The increase in online shopping reflects what Gartner research finds are consumers with lowered confidence. Not towards the businesses they’re considering, but rather towards themselves and “their ability to make good buying decisions.” 

How can a business instill confidence in their customers? Those who provide the right information will reduce buyer’s remorse, the culprit behind reduced customer loyalty and advocacy.  

The global pandemic has proven traditional shopping experiences won’t fly anymore. Consumers are in control and they’re expecting innovative and intuitive digital experiences that make life easier to justify purchases they’re considering. 

We have just what you need to digitally transform your Shopify website and finish the sale: A Shopify 3D and AR model creation app with a robust set of comprehensive ecommerce add-ons to provide customers with the information they need, as 66% of shoppers say augmented reality increases their confidence that they’re choosing the right product for their needs. 

Let’s look at 5 ways 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) content can not only boost customer confidence to convert visits into sales, but also how it’ll get you in good grace with the right crowd. 

If you own an ecommerce business, odds are you use Shopify, as it’s the 2nd largest ecommerce site in the U.S. with more than 1.7 million merchants using the platform.  

With all Shopify stores and themes now supporting 3D models, it’s becoming a simple and successful way to gain an edge for your online business. Online customers are expecting more and more digital merchandising and visuals to help bridge the gap between online

+and in-person shopping since buyer’s remorse is a common result with online purchases+ that don’t meet expectations since it’s not possible to touch or try out products. 

A study by eMarketer found that in 2016, consumers expected an average of three images per product. Flash forward to 2019 and consumers across every age group expect nearly double the number of photos and a minimum of two videos per item. 

These increased expectations in product visuals means it’s important to provide not only the proper amount, but proper quality. A Salsify study cited by eMarketer showed that one of the top reasons customers abandoned product pages were due to low-quality images or videos. 

3D models prove to be the perfect solution to meet the demand for vast amounts of product content. Outstanding visuals equal more sales, and if looking between your dynamic 3D models versus typical, flat 2D photos from competitors, it’s clear what route will help your customer complete their purchase. In fact, Shopify shows an increase in conversion rates by up to 250% on product pages with 3D models. 

Nextech AR Solutions, a Metaverse Company and leading provider of augmented reality (AR) experience technologies and services, is excited to announce the release of their ARitize 3D Self-Serve platform for 3D & AR model creation. 

Poised to be a revolutionary tactic for ecommerce, this self-serve platform proves that what was once initially perceived only available as a managed service for large enterprise companies is no longer the case. 

Any business can incorporate 3D/AR assets into their marketing strategy, as the platform’s ease of use combined with fast turnaround times allows for quick impacts and benefits. Users simply sign up, provide basic 2D images and details that most sites already have, and then integrate 3D/AR buttons after they approve their model. It’s that quick and simple! 

Nextech AR has created this first of its kind self-serve tool to open this technology to anyone with an ecommerce site, as it’s not only incredibly easy to get started with but affordable. 

3D models are more common than we may think. They appear across a multitude of different industries, from video games, movies, architecture, illustration, engineering, commercial advertising, and more. You may find yourself wondering how exactly is something so visually detailed created. Nextech AR is here to walk you through the process. 

It’s Time To Update Your Marketing Playbook 

Is your home worth 2.4 million? Odds are it isn’t, which can make it all the more surprising that a digital land plot within Decentraland, a 3D virtual reality platform, recently sold for that amount. The concept of the metaverse is ramping up, resulting in an increase of sales for tokens and digital land. 

What is the Metaverse?

It’s a virtual environment that interconnects the physical world to virtual worlds, the internet, mixed reality, and emerging technologies. Metaverse is the combination of the words Meta (from the Greek word, meaning “beyond”) and Universe.

Last holiday season, we saw online sales skyrocket due to the global pandemic and social distancing measures. 2021 doesn’t have to be different - and adding an Augmented Reality shopping experience to your store can help you ensure that.

It’s never too early to talk about holiday sales and Christmas, and most importantly, strategies to reach your customer base. 2021 is no different — the threat of COVID may be subsiding, but the delivery delays and product shortages are still very much real, forcing consumers to start shopping for Christmas gifts before Halloween. 

As consumers holiday shop, they’re jumping from store to store with less brand loyalty as they search for the easiest and most convenient purchasing journey. This all to say, no purchase is given. Driving traffic to your website via paid channels like Facebook or Google Ads does not guarantee conversion - customers need extra reassurances to ease their purchase anxiety and trust you’re the right ecommerce brand for them.

You can achieve this simply by adding an Augmented Reality shopping experience to your store. Let’s explore different AR shopping solutions and how this immersive technology can create a record-breaking holiday sales season for your business.

Goh Ballet and Nextech AR Create Ballet Holograms to Improve Broader Access and Introduce New Ways to Learn Dance

Artists now have the opportunity to differentiate and personalize their brand through Augmented Reality - a communication medium that is experiential and interactive. With AR human holograms, artists across the globe can leverage the new remote entertainment environment by increasing and personalizing fan engagement.

Here at Nextech AR, we are proud to announce that we have released our patent pending technology to create optimized 3D meshes that are suitable for 3D and AR applications. With this product, we are now able to scale creating photo realistic, fully textured 3D models from raw CAD models and reference images. This article explains some of the background on the problem and a glimpse of the problems we have solved to make this possible. 

Making solid connections is a healthy challenge in the best of circumstances. It’s not as simple as having a brief conversation while queuing up for coffee during a break. Building successful personal connections is an ongoing strategy where businesses and individuals look to secure leads, convert prospects, boost confidence, expand relationships and advance our interests through education and networking. 

Emerging new technologies such as Augmented Reality or AI are paving the way for companies at the forefront of The New Economy. There’s no returning to life before COVID; the post-pandemic reality will be built upon amplifying what we’ve learnt in the past 18 months. Face-to-face events are now hybrid events - the best of two worlds. Online shopping, thanks to 3D interactive product models and AR banner ads, is now bringing the in-store shopping experience to the consumers at the comfort of their own homes. Immersive learning and human holograms are forever altering the way we consume content and learn. 

The Nextech AR Digital Experience Event “Live NOW”,  is approaching fast. This Tuesday, June 29th 2021, we invite you to join us as we reveal the Nextech AR LiveX platform and explore how Augmented Reality is transforming the way we live, shop, work, learn and play!

Happy Father's Day! To celebrate, Nextech AR Solutions had the wonderful opportunity to chat with a few fathers from a diverse set of industries. Here is their personal take on fatherhood:

While the world is carefully starting to open, it isn’t likely to return to the pre-shuttered lockdown that was 2020. The past eighteen months helped us realize how much can be achieved by combining the digital and live; and the best part is, we’re only getting started. 

Regardless of whether we’re talking in-person or virtual, the key event goals remain the same: attendance and qualified leads. One work without the other, so how can you attract both? 

Augmented Reality is big but 5G will make it huge. With unprecedented speed & connectivity, 5G is set to bring faster speeds, hyper-capacity, new viewing options like 8K resolution streaming, 360-degree and 3D experiences. What does it mean for the consumer? Life-like image quality and user-friendly AR experiences wherever they go. But 5G doesn’t just transform mobile Augmented Reality - using AR wearables will become even more compelling now as haptic feedback will be delivered seamlessly along with the visuals, adding another dimension to the experience.

As May wraps up, the employees of Nextech AR Solutions wanted to share their perspectives on mental health awareness month to provide a reminder that mental health is essential to one's overall health and wellbeing. 

The search for the ultimate customer experience is over: make room (loads of room!) for Augmented Reality. According to research from Forbes Insight and Arm Treasure Data, consumers today are looking for authentic and relevant customers experiences. AR is surfacing as the dominant experience technology that’ll empower e-commerce and brands to drive conversions. Case in point, the recent Snap & Deloitte Digital AR Consumer global report highlights that brands offering Augmented Reality experiences are 41% more likely to be considered and can expect a 250% increase in their conversion rates as a result.

The past year taught us a thing or two about adaptation and agility. Like it or not, we have all just undergone a major digital transformation upgrade, except fast-forwarded and came out of the blue. First, it was online events; today, as the world slowly opens up again, the hybrid future awaits. Who knows what other virtual experiences are ahead of us? 

NFTs are taking the digital art world by storm. No doubt, you've experienced the boom for yourself or at least read about it in the news, especially when a digital art piece by Beeple Everydays - The First 5000 Days was sold for an astonishing $69 million at Christie's earlier this year.

“Mothers are stewards of the future more so than just merely caretakers of children.”

No one expected the coronavirus pandemic to last for as long as it has. When higher education institutions were forced to switch to online learning in response to the ongoing safety concerns, the general consensus was that it would only be a temporary solution and students would soon return to campus and resume their education in lecture halls. 

What is Earth Day?

"Every Earth Day can drive a year of energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to create a new plan of action for our planet. EARTHDAY.ORG’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, EARTHDAY.ORG is the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in over 192 countries to drive positive action for our planet."

Shellye Archambeau shares her thoughts on Earth Day with Nextech AR

Nextech AR Solutions recently had the pleasure of chatting with Shellye Archambeau
to get her thoughts on Earth Day, what it means to her, and her advice on taking action!

Shellye Archambeau is a Fortune 500 board member, Former CEO of MetricStream, Advisor, and author of "Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms", which was ranked as of top 10 business books of 2020 by Fortune! Check out our conversation with Shellye below!

What does earth day mean to you?

Shellye: Earth Day is a day to remember to appreciate the earth we live on, the earth that sustains us, and the earth that gives us much beauty. It is a day to pause, observe and literally stop and smell the roses.  It is also an excellent day for doing something proactive to add to the earth's immense glory by planting something. 

What advice do you have for people who want to do more to preserve the earth? 

Shellye: Be proactive. There are many ways to preserve the earth and every action, no matter how small helps. Think recycle, reduce and reuse. The more we do these three things the less energy we consume and the less waste we generate. 

What are some things people could do or a simple challenge you could recommend in honor of earth day? 

Shellye: Create a challenge. Take a picture of yourself, planting something or weeding.  Post it and tag others and challenge them to plant or weed and post a picture and tag others.  Keep it going. 

Who are some people you admire when it comes to preserving our planet and why? 

Shellye: I admire Wangarĩ Muta Maathai who was a Kenyan social, environmental, and political activist and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.  She founded the Green Belt Movement which has planted over 45 million trees across Kenya to combat deforestation, stop soil erosion, and generate income for women and their families. 

Thank you Shellye for sharing your thoughts on Earth Day! 

Connect with Shellye on social media:
LinkedIn 
Twitter 
Instagram

Visit her website:
https://shellyearchambeau.com/

Learn more about Earth Day:
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/

It's been just over a year since we were forced to retreat indoors and avoid close contact with one another. At first, it was pretty exciting; but very soon, the excitement turned into a slow (and painful) realization that some experiences simply cannot be recreated online. 

Long gone are the days when the price was the only factor consumers considered when making a purchasing decision. Today, when your customers are just one Google search away from finding ten other eCommerce stores offering the same exact product, competing on price simply isn't a sustainable growth strategy - there will always be someone willing to undercut their prices further. 

Google's 2020 announcement to join Safari and Firefox and stop supporting the use of third-party cookies did not come as a surprise to anyone in the marketing world. Although the 25-year long affair empowered digital advertisers to achieve exceptional audience segmentation and attribution, it's clear the flame was about to fizzle out anyway. 

Not that many years ago, it would have been impossible even to imagine speaking to your colleagues or loved ones face-to-face while located in different parts of the country or the world. Today, however, video conferencing and digital interactions have become our reality - and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic.

No industry was spared when the coronavirus outbreak took over the world - the food & beverage industry included. But while many other industries were able to move their operations from the physical into the digital environment, foodservice providers were left paralyzed; after all, most food-related experiences require face-to-face interactions. 

One thing becomes crystal clear as we approach the second quarter of 2021: the chances of large conferences or trade shows taking place in-person this year are close to none. Despite our hopes, it'll take months for the vaccines to be widespread enough to turn the tide, so online events will continue to dominate the event industry. 

When it comes to faith, nothing is more important than congregational closeness. After all, seeing one another face-to-face and sharing unique praying experiences is what prompts deep spiritual engagement for believers. But it's not as simple to recreate this level of closeness when the global pandemic and social distancing measurements make it impossible to gather together in the house of worship. 

It's no secret advertising is about to get even more challenging as data and privacy concerns continue to escalate in 2021, and our targeting options become slimmer and slimmer each month. A major change in the advertising space is required; instead of investing in more, organizations must step up their advertising efforts and focus on quality rather than quantity if they want to see a return on their investment.

Could Augmented Reality (AR) advertising be the answer advertisers have been looking for? It certainly seems that way. The global AR market is forecast to reach a value of $70.01 billion by 2023, and with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we can only expect this number to soar.

Although virtual open days have been around for a few years now, it wasn't until recently (Coronavirus) when college and university campuses fully embraced the open day digital experience. 

Hybrid events are becoming the new standard in the event industry. It would have been hard not so long ago to find one that wasn’t a tech-based conference or a corporate business event. Today, however, with the rise of meetup groups and the increasing popularity of speaker series like TED Talks, there is plenty of room for various hybrid events. These changes indicate that people rely less on physical locations to get things done and more on connecting digitally. 

There are no two ways about it - COVID-19 sealed the deal on the growing influence of Augmented Reality in e-commerce. What was once considered a gimmick, tactic that brings joy to the customer but makes no impact on revenue, is fast becoming the next big thing in online shopping. 

Hybrid events are set to dominate the future of the event industry. While 2020 undoubtedly belonged to virtual events, 62% of event planners agree that the hybrid model will lead the way for B2B gatherings as soon as the threat of COVID-19 subsides. 

Not even the global health crisis could stop CES 2021 from showing the latest advances in technology. Although the biggest consumer tech show took place online instead of Las Vegas, Nevada due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it certainly didn't disappoint. 

Virtual career fairs are on the rise - and not just because of COVID-19. The thing is, physical hiring events were never able to reach their full potential for one simple reason: geographical restrictions. Organizations, universities and recruitment agencies were only able to reach a fraction of top candidates at high-ticket prices.

It's not just the global outreach that makes hosting a virtual career fair so appealing. Both, candidates and organizers appreciate the convenience and cost-effectiveness of online job fairs too, since travelling and venue costs are no longer a concern. And with more aspects of life moving to a digital environment, it's becoming more of an expectation (especially amongst college students) to enable virtual recruiting.

COVID-19 might have made them a necessity, but the global pandemic coming to an end does not mean the end of virtual events too. Hosting conferences, trade shows or career fairs online, while won't replace the live experience, could prove invaluable in the post-COVID reality.

Everywhere we look today, we see adverts. Hundreds of them. It's estimated we are exposed to anywhere between 6,000 and 10,000 commercials daily, but only a handful of them makes a lasting impression on the customer, forcing brands to explore new, more eye-catching ad formats such as Augmented Reality (AR).

How many ads or social media posts promoting virtual events do you see daily? With thousands of global organizations switching to online events in 2020, creating a truly compelling event marketing campaign on any given digital channel can be quite the challenge. 

The past few months have required a certain degree of creativity and a great deal of imagination to cope during the global pandemic; the sudden transition to virtual events is a perfect example of this. But it feels like the main focus was on surviving rather than thriving in the event industry. 

It has been years since we first heard of Augmented Reality and its potential to completely transform our reality and yet, it feels like we're still waiting for it to happen. Nonetheless, the change is already taking place and AR is slowly becoming an inseparable part of our daily routine. 

Five years of ecommerce growth have been squeezed into just a few months as a result of Covid restrictions and social distancing rules. Consequently, the adaptation of Augmented Reality (AR) applications for online stores are also on the rise as brands seek ways to substitute that in-store shopping experience and add value to the buyer's journey. 

The concept of blended learning, a combination of two learning environments (digital and in-person) was first introduced in the 1960s. However, many higher education institutions have been somewhat reluctant to integrate the hybrid model of teaching and learning until now. What's changed? 

Previously, we talked a great deal about how Augmented Reality improves customer experience (CX) in e-commerce, but there's another aspect of the buyer's journey where online retailers can utilize AR: user experience (UX). 

Augmented Reality is already revolutionizing the way we learn, spend our free time or even give a presentation at work; there's virtually no aspect of life that won't eventually be impacted by AR and shopping is no exception. 

If there's one thing we've learnt in the past few months, it's how much we value live events. Never before have we been completely denied the opportunity for face-to-face interaction - not on this scale, anyway. And just like we're currently experiencing a COVID-related virtual events boom, no doubt there'll be one for in-person functions as soon as the threat of coronavirus subsides. 

The world of Learning and Development (L&D) as we know it is changing. Over the last few years, we have seen a gradual annihilation of the traditional classroom-style learning environment while new, highly engaging training methods continue to make their way into learning and development departments. 

It doesn't come as a surprise. The digital disruption has forever altered not just the way we shop or communicate but also the way we learn. And with millennials rapidly taking over the global workforce, more and more companies seek to replace the standard, cookie-cutter approach in favor of flexible lifelong learning opportunities to retain Gen Y employees. 

2020 might not be over yet, but it's already pretty clear that it has been the year of ecommerce. In all fairness though, it's been the year of online everything due to the global health crisis. And while the pandemic continues to spread, online shopping is expected to soar this holiday season. 

In our previous post, we discussed the possibilities of applying Augmented Reality (AR) in higher education. Let’s now take a closer look at how top universities and educational institutions apply this immersive technology to enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes, and build future-ready institutions.

There are many ways to enhance the shopping experience, and Augmented Reality is definitely one of them. We're looking at how to use AR to drive more sales to your ecommerce store this holiday season. 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner. Many people have already begun ticking items off of their Christmas shopping lists. And let's not forget we're in the middle of the global pandemic with social distancing rules and public space restrictions still in place. 

As immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) continue to blur the lines between the digital world and reality, it's easy to confuse the two - they even sound similar. 

We use many emerging technologies as part of marketing processes, but did you know that augmented reality was actually developed for advertising?

The event industry is undergoing a major and unexpected transformation and the reason behind it is simple: COVID-19 outbreak, which led to thousands of in-person business gatherings being postponed or even cancelled.

Organizations around the world have been switching to virtual events to keep their attendees safe. But virtual events were already an important strategy for marketing and networking.

Trade shows have long been an important staple for marketing products, services, and brands. They also serve as a unique opportunity to network and make connections with potential partners and customers.

Almost every aspect of business has gone virtual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees are working from home. Meetings now take place on video chat services instead of in the board room.

Virtual events enable you to reach a wider audience, save on event costs, and deliver an experience your attendees won't find anywhere else. But despite the rapid shift to virtual events thanks to COVID-19, not every company has a strategy in place to pull them off, and it can be difficult to know where to start.

As the world continues to adapt to the new normal, consumers are now doing much of their shopping online rather than in-person. In March 2020, online retail categories saw as much as a 74% uptick in sales when compared to March 2018.

With an increasing number of consumers preferring to shop and buy online, it is evident that the future of retail is most likely going to revolve around enhancing the online shopping experience for these buyers using entirely new marketing techniques. This process will involve the application of new technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) to blur the boundaries between physical and online channels and offer unified shopping experiences to customers inside and outside retail stores.

Companies are faced with high barriers when trying to introduce audiences to a new platform or product. While investing copious amounts of time and money in their product, they are challenged by audiences used to a lot of interactivity and immediate rewards, limited attention spans, and regular distractions including mobile notifications, and much more.

Given the situation of the current global pandemic where a person’s interactivity is limited, virtual events are a strong contender to attract audiences and showcase both the complexity and simplicity of physical products. As almost all companies worldwide are working from home, the ability to attract a global audience remotely is now a major priority. Companies are finding that this method maximizes their ROI to potential clients and attracts users to understanding the benefits of their products.

Not one industry could have anticipated the disruption that COVID-19 currently presents; It is reasonable to assume that sooner or later an event of some kind would present an obstacle to any professional industry. This disruption challenges professionals to rethink how information is shared and conveyed to current and future learners and clients. Various platforms for engagement include events, conferences, trade shows, and training, but how do we cater to an audience who cannot all connect in one geographic region? 

Modern companies have more options for improving their bottom line than at any other time in history.

Do You Know How Well Your eCommerce Website is Working?

Your eCommerce business thrives on customers. New customers and repeat customers alike drive your return on investment, including the expenses around your website. You set up your eCommerce website to highlight your products. And you want those web pages to convert customers.

Augmented reality (AR) has evolved rapidly from a science-fiction conception to a science-based reality. As AR technology continues to develop, business directors are exploring innovative approaches to utilize its potential.

Lots of businesses today face challenges around eCommerce bounce rate. After landing on your site, visitors only stay a few seconds and then exit without clicking through to another page on your site. High bounce rate leads to low conversion rates, meaning fewer sales. Here’s the essential information you need to know about bounce rate, along with tips to reduce it and keep the visitors on your eCommerce site, which is where you want them to be.

Read Zacks Investment Research report for NexTech AR Solutions (NEXCF:OTC | NTAR:CSE) here - https://bit.ly/35rPZCA.

Nextech AR is a technology start-up and a unique public company pure play investment in Augmented Reality. It does not produce hardware, but rather uses AR to improve eCommerce results for customers as well as its company-owned sites. In addition, it uses hologram technology and is starting to apply its technologies to the education and entertainment spaces. As one of the first movers in a multi-billion dollar market growing at almost 300% per year, Nextech should be able to grow rapidly as this nascent market explodes.

Augmented Reality (AR) is just beginning to make its way into mainstream use and the market is exploding. Nextech AR is the only public pure play we know of that is providing services to allow companies to use AR in marketing and advertising their goods. At a price to vendors of $30 per month per SKU, adoption of just a tiny percent of the trillions of products sold worldwide will create a massive revenue stream for NexTech AR.

Nextech AR is a small, B2B startup based in Toronto that was formed to provide services for, and invest in, businesses using Augmented Reality (AR) and hologram technologies. These technologies are used to improve sales and profits for eCommerce sites, and other verticals such as entertainment. This technology converts two-dimensional images of real objects and people into three dimensions using scanners and software. Using AR is a proven way to boost sales and reduce returns in eCommerce, and provides an engaging, economic way to provide information in the education and training space.

READ MORE

In an effort to keep you informed on NexTech and the AR industry at large, we will be periodically sharing exciting new developments within the industry with you. Today, Instagram made a major announcement that its 500million users will be able to shop in AR within their app. This is very bullish for NexTech as in order for companies to offer AR shopping experiences, they will first need to ARitize their products which is exactly what our ARitize self service platform can do for E-commerce retailers.

NexTech Signs Multi-Platform AR Deal With Sand Separation Solutions

NexTech is pleased to announce that it has landed a deal with Sand Separation Solutions, (SSS) an industry-leading heavy equipment rental company in the oil and gas industry, primarily operating in the Permian Basin in Midland, Texas. The company has signed on with NexTech AR for a multi-platform deal for both web and app based AR experiences. SSS has already invested in 3D assets but is looking to improve upon those offerings by leveraging NexTech’s AR university platform and web AR to demonstrate their mobile separator system to potential customers in much higher detail showcasing the quality of the equipment.

How Augmented Reality Is Changing Defense Industry Sales

For more than a decade, Gunwerks has been an industry leader in delivering complete shooting systems. From bipods to ballistic turrets and everything in between, Gunwerks assembles custom systems that are ready to go. The company prides itself on delivering a rifle and accessories capable of shooting accurately to 1,000 yards right out of the box. It's a growth industry. Firearms & Ammunition manufacturing will finish 2019 with more than $17 billion in total revenue. Defence product sales and firearms sales continue to climb at a rate of 4.5% annually over the past five years. The fastestgrowing area of sales is e-Commerce. Gunwerks is taking online sales to the next level by integrating cutting-edge AR technology from NexTech AR. “The largest barrier that online retailers run into is the customer not being able to touch and feel the product,” said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of NexTech AR Solutions. NexTech’s AR solutions allow Gunwerks to offer customers as close to a retail experience as they can get without being in a physical store. When your typical price point runs around $13,000 for these high-end rifles, Gunwerks’ customers are serious sporting goods enthusiasts. “A majority of the folks that shop for these particular products do it through mobile,” said Paul Duffy, President of Nextech AR Solutions. AR for eCommerce lets customers not just see the products but experience them as they build their dream rifle right on their phone.

Augmented Reality With Walther Arms

Walther Arms, Inc. is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sport, defense, and professional firearms. Most famous as the manufacturer of James Bond’s Walther PPK, the company has partnered with NexTech AR Solutions to add 3D product models and augmented reality for shoppers. High-fidelity 3D models will be featured on the company’s website, which can be viewed in augmented reality. Customers will be able to view products with a 360- degree rotation. AR technology will allow you to see the products in your current environment. “Walther products feature many details in machining and quality, and the 3D representation will allow the customer to clearly see the differences in our product when compared to the competition,” said Cody Osborn, M.Ed. Marketing Manager for Walther Arms, Inc. Sales of small arms, such as handguns, rifles, and shotguns account for more than $8.3 billion in sales annually as part of a $17 billion-dollar guns and ammunition manufacturing industry in the U.S. Walther Arms products will literally pop out on dealer websites and show the intricacies of the quality details that go into manufacturing. “Being able to use augmented reality for visualizations, and 3D product views of precision high-quality products like the Walther PPK pistol and other precision products makes a ton of business sense,” said Evan Gappelberg, CEO of NexTech. It’s another example of a manufacturer utilizing AR tools to enhance the shopping and display experience. NexTech’s proprietary technology has brought 3D and AR imaging into the mainstream using simple copy and paste embed codes.

Expand Your Brand’s Success in the Digital Marketplace

Augmented Reality (AR) is transforming defense industry marketing by offering consumers maneuverable and ultra-realistic renderings proven to increase eCommerce conversion rates by 400%. Ecommerce is a growing channel in the defence industry and major brands are taking advantage of the immense opportunities presented through digital and mobile sales platforms. NextTech’s omni-channel, SaaS platform is well-positioned to offer top defense brands like Walther Arms the innovative brand communication tools they need to meet and exceed sales targets. Augmented Reality in eCommerce is revolutionizing sport-shooting marketing and top brands are cashing in. According to market research published by IBIS World, defense industry product manufacturing will reach over $17 billion in revenue during 2019. Over the last 5 years, the industry has recorded an average growth rate of 4.5% annually. With U.S. dealers earning more than $11 billion in revenue during 2018, there are tremendous opportunities available thanks to transformative eCommerce technology such as AR activations.

When Pokémon Go hit select countries in July 2016, it was the first time many people had ever seen AR, or augmented reality, in action. People who didn't normally play video games were trying out this one, just to see how animated creatures could "come to life" through their smartphone camera viewscreen.

We live in a time where the stuff of science fiction 20 years ago is very much a part of our reality. Augmented reality may have been something we only dreamt of a few years ago, but the new technology is well and truly here. AR is finding new and exciting uses, and eCommerce is taking the lead on using the technology to provide a richer customer experience, and to drive more sales.

Augmented Reality (AR) continues to offer customers a real-world shopping experience like never before. It is set to disrupt the medical field in a set of ways, including education, 3D product visualizations, and surgical visualizations. Block Scientific is one such example. The global dealer in clinical laboratory equipment and reagents has had to continually innovate to ensure complete customer satisfaction with extensive product varieties and excellent service industry.

Budweiser needed a solution for their 25th Anniversary tall can. ARitize brought the can to life with an augmented reality experience.

Paul Duffy, President of NexTech AR Solutions Corp. (CSE:NTAR), joins Barrington Miller to discuss the practical applications of “ARitizing” products into the augmented reality space using the NexTech platform (1:01), the differences between augmented reality and virtual reality (4:44), and how augmented reality is fundamentally changing the way people shop (12:51). Listen until the end to learn about Paul’s personal experiences with augmented reality, what’s next for AR in entertainment, and his opinions on how AR may impact social interaction within the next five years.

Augmented Reality is a rapidly growing technology that is starting to have an impact on the eCommerce landscape. As the retail industry continues to overflow with buyers and customers who need a mix of mobile and online shopping, there is a high demand for technology that is creative, innovative and works.

“It is the next best thing to being here in our gallery…They can turn my pieces and see them from every direction, and every angle.”  -Zoltán Dávid, Founder  |  Zoltan David Jewelry

August 1st, 2019 – New York, NY - Toronto, ON – NexTech AR Solutions (the “Company” or “NexTech”) (OTCQB:NEXCF) (CSE:NTAR) (FSE:N29) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Zoltan David whose jewelry can be seen at the Smithsonian National Museum permanent collection, to Aritize™ his jewelry line. NexTech is going to provide 3D product models as well as a virtual showroom store through its web AR eCommerce platform and its Aritize™ app.

ARitize™ Hollywood Studios is a hub for shared augmented reality experiences. Publish, promote, and share AR content with ease when you subscribe to our Omni-Channel SaaS Platform, custom-built for the future of the entertainment industry.

Scan People and Objects Into 3D "Digital Twins" for your AR Experiences. You can create 3D models of physical objects and people using smartphones, scanners, or 3D modelling software like Maya, Cinema 4D, or 3D Studio Max. All you need is a .GLTF file to ARitize your business.

“From our website to your backyard, there is no better way to appreciate all the ways you can use a Mr. Steak™ BBQ than first experiencing it in AR.”-Mick Scully, Founder | Mr. Steak - https://mrsteak.com

Q&A with Facebook’s Chris Barbour, Head of Augmented Reality Camera Partnerships

Whether it’s trying on pair glasses or a pair of sneakers by just using your phone’s camera or viewing through your iPad how a piece of furniture would look like in your living room before buying it, augmented reality is becoming an important part of a brand’s marketing strategy. As we begin to close out a decade and look toward the 2020s and beyond, it’s no surprise that AR is an important part of most tech and mobile companies’ future roadmaps.

eCommerce has always been a dynamic industry where change occurs often and happens quickly.

As competition continues to grow, it’s become more important
than ever for companies to make the most of their websites.

        "AR is here to influence how businesses are going to promote their products and services. Soon, how they optimize for search rankings."

Originally Posted January 3, 2018 on Big Data Made Simple.

"We recently interviewed Evan Gappelberg, an accomplished entrepreneur and CEO of NexTech AR Solutions, which brings augmented reality (AR) to the masses by creating an AR ecosystem featuring eCommerce solutions for websites. We spoke a lot about augmented reality in eCommerce and you can read the complete interview below.

1. Augmented Reality (AR) isn’t just for gaming anymore! In a very short period of time, AR technology has come a long way and now, it is all poised to disrupt the future of industries like health care, books, retail, and of course eCommerce. It is said that augmented reality will revolutionize the eCommerce business with its ability to personalize and enhance the shopping experience for customers. Your company NexTech promises to bring the in-store experience to the home with a hologram, as well as a virtual “try-on at home” platform for every product. I am excited to know more…

NexTech is quickly building out the next generation, an industry first, web-enabled artificial intelligence (AI) based AR eCommerce solution. With AI integration the platform will be able to offer scanning of the body, hands, and feet as well as facial features, to understand an individual shopper’s style, sizes, and preferences, as well as creating AR holograms acting as personal shopping assistants. Nextech’s web-enabled AR platform allows small and large eCommerce websites to integrate AR into the shopping experience with just a few lines of embed code democratizing AR at scale and creating a true consumer platform.

The biggest hurdle online customers face is determining whether a certain product fits and is right for them. AR offers shoppers the confidence that will motivate online purchasing decisions. AR provides users with an in-store shopping experience, anytime and anywhere. Our AR platform superimposes 3D objects in various spaces, giving customers a chance to interact with digital twins from the comfort of their own homes. AR has been rapidly scaling into the eCommerce landscape through early adopters like IKEA whose app lets you see the furniture in your house by overlaying a digital twin of the object in your living room. However, the experience is limited to the IKEA app. Nextech’s platform allows all eCommerce websites to have this same capability no app required leveling the playing field for all eCommerce sites and opening up the floodgates for AR eCommerce shopping.

2. You say that with this new virtual “try-on at home” shopping experiences, returns of products will be reduced by as much as 80% and an increase in sales will be as much as 3X. What are the other benefits?

Another major benefit is that once the Nextech platform has recorded the size and shape of a person’s body, feet, hands as well as facial features using AI it can start to recommend to the consumer new products that would perfectly fit their body style creating a connection and trust between the customer and the brand, this used to have to take place in store. With the ability to easily try on products at home the shopping experience is truly transformed creating a frictionless shopping environment where the act of buying a product will become so effortless it happens with the push of one button or just by saying the word “BUY” out-loud…the perfectly fitting product showing up at your doorstep in a day or even an hour later. The ease of ordering built on the confidence of buying what you know fits, all powered by Nextech’s platform is a big step forward for eCommerce!

3. Tell us about the new integration with IBM Watson’s Machine Learning (ML) algorithms into your AR platform. Why Watson and how is it going to help your platform?

IBM Watson was the obvious choice for us as it allows for Nextech to leverage IBM’s decades’ long development of AI, even though AI is now taking the world by storm AI and ML is not new to IBM or Watson. With AI we will be able to offer many more features including AI chatbots, body scanning, facial recognition, as well as holograms that know your likes and dislikes. We are standing on the shoulders of Watson and the view is amazing!

4. NexTech’s web-enabled AR eCommerce solution works on every browser and on every device including desktops, laptops, iPods, and all mobile phones. It does not need an app installed to function. Tell us more about its features.

Nextech has filed a patent around its AR web-enabled eCommerce platform which has been integrated with Shopify, WordPress, and Magento. The AR can “go live” on any eCommerce site with just a few lines of embed code creating an easy to use a highly scalable platform. When we started looking at AR, we immediately saw the “wow” factor and application for eCommerce but also saw a hesitation of consumers to load another app on their mobile device. With our web-enabled AR eCommerce solution, we have eliminated that friction point which we believe will open the floodgates to AR shopping experiences worldwide, this truly is a game changer.

5. Every online retailer now wants to put an augmented reality feature online to gain a competitive advantage, because according to a study, approximately 40% of consumers are willing to spend more on a product, when they are offered an augmented reality experience. What are the key things one has to remember while integrating an AR feature into an online eCommerce store?

For eCommerce sites that are integrating AR, they should just be prepared for a lot of consumer excitement, questions, and sales. Consumers love what’s new and exciting and AR certainly fits that bill and with that, they become curious and will ask questions… so I would just make sure that customer service is ready to answer some of those questions. I would also be prepared for sales going up and with that in mind have a bit more inventory of those items being sold with our AR. I would also make sure that the right expectations are met meaning AR works if the intention is to show how a painting or flat screen TV looks on a wall or a how a table and chairs look in a kitchen or even how new doorknobs or a new bicycle looks then AR will work really well for that.

6. Tell us about your plans. And what is going to be the future of AR in the next five years?

Nextech didn’t create the AR economy it was Apple, Google, Microsoft and NVIDIA and other large tech companies that have invested billions into this technology over the past few years and they aren’t slowing the level of investment, in fact, it is accelerating. The AR industry is expected to grow from around $20 billion in 2018 to $120 billion by 2021 according to Statista, and we intend to be a part of that growth with our platforms.

AR adoption is moving very fast, starting in 2017 the AR industry began forming around APP’s and mobile devices, however we see a tectonic shift in the near future where no app is needed, the phone goes the way of the pager and a new device rises up and takes over the market called “smart glasses”. The “smart glasses” will allow for a truly amazing, mind-bending, fully immersive 3D experience where what’s “real” and what’s “virtual” truly merge and are indistinguishable…over time this will become the new norm starting in 2019/2020…by 2025 phones will be obsoleted. Nextech is unique in that it’s building its AR technology on the web which means all its technology will work seamlessly with the next generation of products which is huge. Nextech wants the first AR enhanced product a consumer sees to be powered by our Nextech platform."

It wasn’t until Apple introduced ARKit and Google launched ARCore, both platforms that make it easier for developers to create augmented reality apps, that companies, developers, and even the public began to see that augmented reality (AR) would become mainstream. Even though the technology for AR that overlays virtual images onto the real world had existed before, once these development platforms launched it became significantly easier to build apps. Since it became easier to build AR apps, there was a boost in the release of them on a scale similar to the adoption rates that Apple saw in 2008 when they opened the App Store. Ideas for AR applications beyond gaming began to percolate, and companies such as IKEA and L’Oreal started dreaming up uses for the technology that could enhance the customer experience. As with any new exciting technology—and AR is no different—many people have things to say about the possibilities and perils of adopting it.

Over the last decade, augmented reality (AR) has grown from
a relatively niche form of technology
used only by companies in equally niche industries to the darling of household
names like Nike, Adidas, L’Oreal, MTV, Patron Tequila, and the New York Times,
among many, many others.

Augmented reality (AR) remains a fairly new concept for many companies, but that hasn’t stopped them from quickly realizing its potential.

AUGMENTED REALITY ISN’T THE FUTURE OF RETAIL, IT’S THE PRESENT

The future of retail, specifically eCommerce, lies in creating an online shopping experience that accommodates consumers with the same perks of shopping in-store. Advancements in augmented reality coupled with rapid increases in the number of smartphones, broadband connections, and innovative payment solutions are driving this growth in online shopping.  With fierce competition on the horizon it is essential for organizations to prepare an augmented reality strategy that includes partnering with  a strong AR eCommerce company to maintain an edge over the competition. 

How Does AR Revolutionize eCommerce?

Tangible products make for a major portion of global e-Commerce sales. Still, e-commerce innovators across the globe are striving hard to overcome the biggest psychological barrier that consumers face while shopping for products online. An unimaginable large number of sales are lost or delayed indefinitely because of the shopper’s inability to confidently evaluate and envision the sense of using the product. Augmented reality eCommerce bridges this gap significantly. By way of helping users visualize the products they’re considering, in the context of the physical space they’re going to be used in, it is a major boost to getting e-shoppers to feel comfortable and even enthusiastic about a potential purchase. Let’s explore 3 advantages of augmented reality in e-commerce.

1. Engaging Customer Experience:

Augmented reality technology grants customers who typically shop online, the chance to view the product in the form of a model they can interact with in the same manner they would if they were visiting a physical store. This gives the customers a better feel of the product and how it fits into their lives. According to reports, 71% of consumers said they would shop with an online retailer more frequently if they offered AR. 61% said they would prefer to buy from sites that offer AR over sites that do not.

2. Customized Shopping:

Most buyers like to explore numerous choices and preferences before making a purchase. With AR eCommerce, customers can now experience this virtually from the comfort of their homes. Customizations involving colors, designs, patterns and much more can be explored with augmented reality without the use of an app. 

3. Shopping Time and Testing:

Today, most online stores offer instructional video on several products in order to help the buyer understand the product. With augmented reality not only can they interact with the product, they can explore its functionalities as well. Typically an average online shopper spends roughly 2 mins online before making a purchase decision, but with an AR eCommerce experience, that dwell time increases and so does the likelihood of them completing a purchase.

As online retail seeks to improve its conversion rates and bolster more revenue, the benefits of augmented reality cannot be overstated. Augmented reality offers various businesses the chance to create a more interactive shopping experience with their customers as it offers the opportunity to virtually try the product they want to purchase.

What This Means For You

Companies across the world are quickly realising the opportunity of leveraging this new technology to enrich their brand experience and improve customer engagement. They are doing this by bridging the gap between online and in-store brand touch-points, providing a more immersive experience, which can reduce time to purchase and increase conversion rates. What this means for your brand is that if you want to get ahead of the market, using augmented reality may be the way to do so.

At NextTech AR Solutions Corp., we’ve developed a proprietary augmented reality eCommerce solutions that connects shoppers with companies through a fully-immersive AR experience. In other words, your competitive advantage is waiting. Contact us todayto learn more about this cutting-edge technology and how we’ll customize it – and its implementation – to meet your company’s unique needs.

It wasn’t too long ago that augmented reality seemed like it would never become an actual reality, at least not on a large scale.

Target Doubled Sales with AR

AR, VR and MR are all acronyms used to describe digital experiences that allow people to feel as though they are part of a virtual world at different levels. With immersive technologies developing so fast, and thanks to the acronyms, many people are becoming confused as to how each differs. Hopefully the following information will clear up some of the confusion for you.

AR, VR and MR are all acronyms used to describe digital experiences that allow people to feel as though they are part of a virtual world at different levels. With immersive technologies developing so fast, and thanks to the acronyms, many people are becoming confused as to how each differs. Hopefully the following information will clear up some of the confusion for you.

These days, every brand has some kind of ecommerce presence. It’s become unthinkable not to have one.

Ecommerce represents the single biggest evolution for consumers since the introduction of the mail order catalog in the 19^th century.

Not too long ago, augmented reality seemed like something from science fiction.

The cannabis industry is projected to reach C$22.6 billion by 2026, according to Cowen & Co., driven by the legalization of adult-use cannabis earlier this year. While Canadian investors have been voracious buyers, many companies have expanded their efforts to reach United States and European investors through dual-listings. These dual-listings offer the ability to increase liquidity, reach more investors, and ultimately, generate more value.

What Makes Cannabis the Perfect Segment for Augmented Reality?

Ecommerce industry has experienced a massive tide of good fortunes by leveraging the potential of Augmented Reality (AR) technology. This move has succeeded to overcome the shortcomings of online shopping by bridging the gap between offline and online shopping experiences.

IDC OPINION

The State of Industrial Augmented Reality is an ongoing series of market research and analysis conducted by PTC. These reports explore the robust and increasingly complex opportunities presented by the Industrial Augmented Reality (AR) market. Tapping into PTC’s 30 years of technology expertise, 30,000 global customers, and 1,000 technology and service partners, the State of Industrial Augmented Reality series delivers actionable trends and insights across the entire IIoT ecosystem.