In the future it will be unthinkable to order something online without first trying it out in augmented reality first, says Packhelp co-founder Wojciech Sadowski.
The company is already offering the AR service to businesses as a way to test out the look and size of their packaging.
The online platform allows business owners to design custom-branded packaging without the need for a graphic designer or printer.
Their app then gives users the chance to instantly size up what box they need and preview designs in AR without the hassle of ordering samples.
Sadowski says the company decided to do this because it realises how hard selling online is. It wants to help people understand what they’re ordering so they can be sure it will look good when it arrives.
“We wanted them to see how their order will look in their business environment,” he told BusinessCloud.
“We saw a great opportunity when the AR kit was introduced by Apple in June. It was breakthrough tech for all AR standards and allows any company to build visualisation techniques to the exact millimetre.”
This means that if the business owner wants to visualise their new box, Packhelp doesn’t just show a sample, it shows the exact box they will get to the exact measurement.
“If they want to see if their products will fit into the box they can go with AR. They design the box in their browser and can automatically visualise the design in their store or on their desk,” said Sadowski.
Although AR tech in general is still relatively new, he believes it has huge potential for eCommerce. “We’re now on the first moment of tech, the discovery scene, and it will very quickly go into the popularity moment,” he said.
“We will all get used to saying ‘I’m not going to buy that before I can visualise it in my home’, and this tech will definitely be the future of buying online very soon.”
Sadowski believes automation is also a vital technology when it comes to the future of selling online.
“I believe companies like ours are only possible because of what’s happening in automation,” he said.
“Industries like ours have a lack of vision in things like that – every company in packaging tends to understand only the basic concept of direct selling.
“Their idea of business development is knocking on every door and meeting with people to discuss huge deals. Our generation has a different attitude – automation is just one of the tools that will enable the new generation of economy of scale that’s happening right now in front of our eyes.”
Based in Poland with offices about to open across Europe, the company works with big agencies through to people running home businesses who occasionally need branded packaging to promote their online store and pack their products. It offers a minimum order of just 30 boxes and a production time of 14 days.
The company has just won €2 million of investment to support this growth.
“We were trying to find an investor that would let us be pan-European because we are a very pan-European company,” said Sadowski.
“We are very culturally diverse when it comes to both employees and customers so we wanted to have something that would bring us a lot of value both from a money standpoint but also in terms of understanding different cultures.
“I would say every company that wants to work with small businesses should have a good understanding of their needs and one way is through investors.
“If you’re doing pan-European eCommerce try to have a pan-European investor.”
Watch the Packhelp AR in action.