Skip to main content

3D Technology Changes Shopping Experience for Consumers


Boston-based global management executive Matthew Hamory has over 19 years of consulting experience in retail and market strategies. Matthew Hamory serves as a Managing Director of AlixPartners, a consulting firm that specializes in navigating disruptive technologies in the retail sector. 

Retailers are gradually embracing the innovative shopping experiences that 3D technologies can provide to their customers. The three most commonly applied 3D technologies include 3D scanning, 3D printing, and augmented reality applications.

3D scanning: This is the process of scanning and uploading an object into a virtual 3D environment. Some online retailers are using this technology to allow their customers to interact with their products virtually. A few e-commerce outlets are experimenting with using 3D body scans to estimate customer measurements to match clothing sizes more accurately.

3D printing: Though the technology is not yet capable of producing items on a large scale, some shops are using 3D printing as an interactive shopping experience to attract customers interested in creating their own unique designs.

Augmented reality (AR): AR combines 3D scanning with in-home applications. Some furniture retailers have released mobile apps that help buyers make purchasing decisions by allowing them to place virtual furniture pieces into their home.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Three Tech Trends in the Retail Industry

An accomplished retail consultant, Matthew Hamory brings nearly two decades of experience to his role as a managing director with AlixPartners in Boston. As part of his professional duties, Matthew Hamory pays close attention to the latest technology developments in the retail sector. From the first cash registers to the rise of Internet shopping, technology has been tightly integrated with the retail industry. Here are some ways technologists and retail observers see technology shaping the retail industry in the near future: AI Personalization : New developments in artificial intelligence bring exciting potential for the use of data for targeted marketing and personalized shopping experiences. For example, AI-powered algorithms could make personalized style recommendations to apparel consumers. Smart Carts: GPS technology and the Internet of Things promise new in-store shopping experiences. Among other possibilities, shopping carts equipped with GPS technology and Internet connect...

Walmart Undertakes Largest International E-Commerce Deal in History

As a managing director of AlixPartners, Matthew Hamory draws on more than two decades of experience in retail operations and strategy. In September 2018, Matthew Hamory shared his views on Walmart’s recent endeavors toward international expansion. “Even in the struggles [it has] had, [Walmart’s] still doing better than any U.S. retailer has done in the modern era,” he said. Walmart International President and CEO Judith McKenna led the mega-retailer’s latest expansion effort, which involved acquiring a 77 percent stake in India’s largest online retailer, Flipkart , in August. The $16 billion investment marks the biggest purchase in not only Walmart’s history, but also the entire e-commerce sector. Furthermore, it represents a significant shift in the company’s traditional approach of focusing on a global footprint and opening physical storefronts. Even before this investment, Walmart topped the charts in international revenue at $118 billion. Yet, its exponential growth in the globa...

Enrichment Programs at the Tenacre Country Day School

A Princeton University graduate, Matthew Hamory draws upon experience with firms such as Oliver Wyman and KPMG in his leadership role with AlixPartners in Boston. Outside of his professional life, Matthew Hamory gives back to the community through his involvement with nonprofit groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and local educational institutions such as Tenacre Country Day School . For more than 100 years, Tenace Country Day School has provided a challenging, nurturing educational environment to pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students in Wellesley, Massachusetts. In addition to a carefully designed mathematics and literacy curriculum, Tenacre offers foreign language instruction, intramural and interscholastic athletics, and a suite of enrichment programs. Students at Tenacre participate in the Gwyn Loud Science and Enrichment program each spring. This program offers science-related projects tailored to each grade level. In previous years, students explored topics su...