Start-up iStaging Corp (愛實境數位宅妝), which develops augmented-reality (AR) and virtual-reality (VR) technologies, yesterday said it expects to enter a rapid growth stage as it engages with 4,000 vendors on a government-backed export trading platform.
IStaging was at the launch of the New Taipei City Government’s export trading platform, which features its immersive technologies.
Immersion has proved to be effective in improving consumers’ experience and attracting sales, iStaging chief operating officer Johnny Lee (李鍾彬) told a news conference in Taipei.
With the company’s technology, New Taipei City vendors can better showcase their products to the world and let buyers know exactly what they are purchasing by using 360-degree views, Lee said, adding that the process helps prevent disputes and buyer dissatisfaction, cutting down on costly product returns and restocking.
That creates tangible value for AR and VR technologies and also helps traditional industries make the leap into the cutting edge of e-commerce and “new retail,” Lee said.
The technology can also track consumer behavior in virtual environments so vendors can glean valuable business intelligence, such as identifying products shoppers spend the most time looking at, he said.
“Sales could rise three to five times annually by the end of this year,” he said.
VR and AR content can be easily created and uploaded to the trade platform with a smartphone running iStaging’s suite of apps, the company said.
Although iStaging’s userbase is expanding, the firm does not track whether users are accessing its AR content, usually done on a smartphone, or its VR content, usually done with a head-mounted device, Lee said.
The virtual content is compatible with AR and VR and the company does not prioritize one technology over the other, he said.
Founded in 2010, the company has commercialized its technologies in many industries, including real estate, product design, tourism and retail, in more than 100 countries.
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