Since 2017, FOKUS KIND Medien has been developing the technologies of tomorrow with its 3D visualisation division ARkid and making them usable today. In the baby industry, ARkid is the global innovation leader in 3D, augmented reality and virtual reality. Both in marketing and e-commerce, customers such as Ergobaby, TFK Trends For Kids or Axkid benefit from this competitive advantage. This year, ARkid will also present an innovation around AR: the ARkid Cloud, which enables every manufacturer and retailer to use augmented reality easily and without prior knowledge.

Augmented Reality: Stepping into the third dimension

In this age of Corona, consumers spend more time than ever shopping online. It is therefore worthwhile for retailers and brands to offer their customers an appealing digital shopping experience. Augmented reality is the buzzword of the moment: with the help of AR, pregnant women and parents can examine products in their living room at the touch of a button via their smartphone, tablet or computer.

"Augmented reality is bringing about an absolute paradigm shift in retail. Currently, there are about three billion AR-enabled mobile devices that can show any product in the customer's own environment, practically in their back pocket. AR is technologically ready and just minutes away from prime time. Brands should not wait any longer to take advantage of this," says Stefan Eipeltauer.

But how can retailers and brands leverage the benefits of this technology already now and gain a competitive advantage? First and foremost, AR is interesting at the product level and for marketing campaigns. For example, customers can take a look at a pram in advance and check whether it will fit in their own car boot when folded up. This not only offers an interactive product experience, but also reduces the number of returns in online retail, for example. AR applications can also be usefully integrated into social media: TFK achieved an 8-fold ROAS (Return On Advertising Spend) with a Facebook advertising campaign that used the AR model of one of their prams as a visual.

Even though the implementation of AR projects may seem costly or complex at first glance, it is easy to handle with the right partner and does not require any technical know-how within the company. Our ARkid team creates a so-called "digital twin" of the product, which can be used in a variety of ways: Whether for integration in a web shop, as a basis for image or video renderings or for B2B training - the investment in a digital product visualisation pays off.

At this year's Kind + Jugend trade fair, Stefan Eipeltauer gave a short Lighting Talk about Augmented Reality and what this technology can do for our industry:

Case: My Junior

For My Junior, ARkid used the Vita Unique2 for integration via 3D configurator in their online shop. Not only were 13 colour and textile versions created, but animations were also integrated to illustrate how the pram can be folded or what the model looks like with a carrycot or sports seat. This allows the customer to examine the product in great detail in advance. The viewer provided by ARkid is user-friendly and can be easily integrated into any website. Check out the integration here.Have a look at the integration on the live page..

"We strive for transparency in the online shop and give all the dimensions of the prams with pinpoint accuracy - both of the assembled one and of the folded frame. However, it is not easy to imagine how the pram will look in reality based on the measurements. Now we offer our customers a smart solution in the form of an AR tool in collaboration with ARkid, which allows customers to view their pram virtually at home, as well as 'project' it into their own four walls and confined spaces." - My Junior

The ARkid Cloud: The connection between brand and retailer

The next step in using this technology is to connect manufacturers and retailers with the all-new ARkid Cloud. How does it work? Quite simply, ARkid Cloud is a digital catalogue of 3D and AR models that can be integrated into any web shop using the ARkid Viewer and Product Configurator. This allows brands to create 3D and AR models of their products, upload them to the cloud and host them globally for rapid deployment. The models can then be made available to the ARkid shop network on demand: Retailers conveniently select products from this digital library and add them to their web shop. All this without much technical knowledge.

The ARkid Cloud already offers models from well-known brands such as Ergobaby, TFK, myJunior, Chicco, Leander, reer, Axkid and several more. Well-known retailers such as Kind der Stadt or yaaBaby are already successfully using the cloud solution.

The ARkid Cloud for manufacturers

• Explain your products: The better the customer understands your product, the more likely they are to buy it. Present different colours, accessories and functionalities interactively.
• An investment that pays off: AR models are much more than chic nice-to-haves - they save enormous resources in the production of content such as product photos or videos.
• Get listed: Retailers are increasingly looking for brands with AR material - be one of them.
  
  

The ARkid Cloud for retailers

• Stand out: get a technological edge and increase your webshop's sales.
• Avoid returns: Customers can view products in advance at home and find out if they meet their expectations.
• Easy integration: The viewer can be designed in your shop branding and is easily integrated.

Do you have questions about AR or would you like to discuss a project with us? We look forward to hearing from you!