Voice Assistants, VR Not Critical To Shoppers: Study

While chatbots and voice assistants are gradually being adopted by consumers, 65% of shoppers in the U.S. and Europe say they either are either not very important or not at all important, based on a new survey.

Fewer than a third of consumers think virtual reality features are important and 61% of retailers say it is of no or minimal interest to shoppers, according to the study.

The study comprised an online survey of 2,000 adults the U.S., U.K., France and Germany and 400 brand and retail clients, conducted by Bazaarvoice.

Nearly half (48%) of consumers said it is not important to them that retailers use VR features, such as visualizing furniture in a room. One in five shoppers already have adopted chat and voice assistants like Apple Siri, Amazon Echo and Google Home, according to the survey.

Among brands and retailers, 40% say that chatbots are either a minor focus over the next 12 to 18 months or not a focus at all. However, the majority (60%) say chatbots will be a focus in the next 2 to 18 months.

Nearly half of shoppers say it is important that retailers provide digital experiences, such as automatic checkout, mobile offers and online ordering. However, 20% of retailers say they plan to bring digital in-store and 55% are not all focused on it.

4 comments about "Voice Assistants, VR Not Critical To Shoppers: Study".
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  1. Doug Garnett from Protonik, LLC, August 7, 2018 at 11:45 a.m.

    This is the most unsurprising research... Did anyone expect any different? Incidentally, word is out today that of Alexa users, only 2% have ever bought anything using voice... and of those, 90% wouldn’t do it again. So that’s .2% using it to shop.

    Alexa is NOT a retail opportunity for the near and far future. Maybe someday way in the future.

  2. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin replied, August 7, 2018 at 12:01 p.m.

    Right, Doug. As an aside, Amazon just added Alexa voice shopping for Whole Foods.

  3. Dale Knoop from TRE, August 8, 2018 at 8:26 a.m.

    Alexa as a home-bound assistant isn't a shopping tool since she/it can't deliver on context and intent especially as it pertains to fashion, DIY, apparel and other consumer segments. Voice used in micro-moments of brand-driven inspiration is here today though.

  4. Chuck Martin from Chuck Martin replied, August 8, 2018 at 9:50 a.m.

    Yes, Dale, a different experience than Amazon shopping, for sure.

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