Augmented and virtual reality have spent years on the periphery of retail technology, dismissed by skeptics as flashy but impractical. That perception is fading. According to Salsify, 61% of consumers now prefer retailers that offer AR experiences, and 40% of shoppers are willing to pay more for a product if they can test it through augmented reality first. Those numbers reflect a consumer base that increasingly expects to interact with products digitally before committing to a purchase.
The largest retailers have moved well beyond experimentation. As Amazon's Seller Central blog detailed, Amazon AR View allows customers to visualize products in their own spaces before buying, while IKEA's Place app has surpassed 2 million downloads by letting users see how furniture fits in their rooms. Netguru reported that Walmart uses VR training programs across more than 200 stores, preparing employees for everything from customer service scenarios to emergency situations, demonstrating that immersive technology is proving valuable behind the scenes as well as in front of the customer.
Virtual try-on technology has become a particular area of momentum. WildNet Edge noted that beauty and fashion brands are using AR mirrors to let customers try hundreds of looks without touching a physical product, building purchase confidence and shortening decision cycles. The technology is directly attacking one of ecommerce's most persistent problems: return rates. When customers can see how clothing fits, how makeup looks, or how furniture scales in their space, they are far less likely to return the product after delivery.
Generational demand is also driving adoption. According to Square, 27% of Gen Z and millennial consumers are interested in retailers offering AR or VR experiences in-store, while three in ten customers want access to virtual dressing rooms. SCAYLE's market analysis projects that the combination of AR, VR, and AI will create a seamless, hyper-personalized shopping journey by 2030, with 2026 serving as the year when spatial computing, WebAR, and AI-driven personalization move from pilot projects to production deployments.
The technology will not replace physical stores, but it is reshaping what they can offer. As AppInventiv observed, AR and VR enrich the in-store journey rather than eliminate it, adding layers of information, personalization, and engagement that static displays cannot match. For retailers evaluating their technology roadmaps, the case for immersive experiences has shifted from speculative to strategic.