Pre-owned luxury watch transactions used to be fraught with the danger of a significant disparity between the customer’s expectation and the product they actually received. For WatchBox, the global ecommerce platform for buying, selling and trading pre-owned top brand watches, this problem accounted for one third of all product returns. To solve this issue, the company turned to the latest technologies and decided to add an augmented reality feature.
WatchBox App with AR feature: an Effective Way to Try before Buying Pre-Owned Watches
WatchBox already owned a mobile shopping app, but it decided to invest in adding an augmented reality feature to it. The company decided to use marker-based AR and created a printable watch model that the customer can place around their wrist and then use the mobile app to try on various watch models.
“Technology plays a crucial role for WatchBox and our omni-channel approach. But it’s not just technology for technology’s sake. Every innovation we pursue always has the end goal of providing personalized service, education, expert council and convenience for our customers. Our investment into augmented reality is for our e-commerce customers to feel confident in their online purchase,” stated the co-founder of WatchBox, Danny Govberg.
The ecommerce platform specializes in high-end pre-owned watches, from brands like Breitling, Audemars Piguet, Rolex and Patek Philippe. These watches have a premium price, even though they are not brand new. People who are looking for such watches tend to be connoisseurs and know exactly what they want in a top brand watch. This is why any disparity between the expectations and the received product can lead to a return.
A Useful Addition to an Already Successful Mobile App
WatchBox is not a newcomer on the mobile ecommerce market. The augmented reality feature is a welcome addition to their existing mobile app (launched in 2015), which already enjoys a huge popularity among people who want to find good deals for luxury watches.
The WatchBox app contains a wide selection of watches traded through the ecommerce platform and includes a news section sharing the most relevant information and latest development in the world of top watch brands. This section also features daily live broadcasts from the studios of WatchBox, where various watch models are presented, unboxed and tested.
How the New Augmented Reality Feature Works
First of all, users need to download the mobile app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Then, they need to download the printable marker bracelet from this link. After cutting the bracelet model and placing it around their wrist, users can launch the app, select a watch model and see a virtual, realistic overlay of the watch on their wrist.
This is as good as walking into a watch store and trying on various models before making a purchase decision. With the help of the augmented reality feature, potential customers can perform this activity in the comfort of their homes. This is how the app works:
