Augmented reality ROI: how can you estimate it with reliable figures?
Augmented reality ROI is calculated by comparing the platform's cost with additional sales and avoided returns. Published figures are encouraging (Shopify reports a 94% average conversion lift with 3D) but rarely verifiable: measure the effect on your own products before rolling it out.
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Which augmented reality ROI figures are reliable?
Many figures about augmented reality in e-commerce circulate, often repeated without their source. Here are the ones we could trace back to an identified source, with their limits:
- A 94% average conversion lift for merchants who add 3D content to their store: a figure published by Shopify in May 2022 in its changelog, with no detailed methodology or sample. It covers 3D in general, not only augmented reality.
- 22% to 40% fewer returns depending on the company: AR Insider (2022) reports a 40% drop in returns with 3D visualization at Shopify, 25% for AR-guided purchases at SeekXR, and a 22% lower return rate among Build.com's AR users. These figures come from the companies themselves, without a published study.
- 13.21% of sales returned: in the United States, returns reached $685 billion in 2024, or 13.21% of retail sales, according to Appriss Retail's annual study conducted with Deloitte.
These figures give orders of magnitude. They often come from companies that sell 3D solutions and do not guarantee results for your catalog: the only reliable measure is your own sales, before and after adding 3D.
How does augmented reality affect the conversion rate?
The conversion rate is the key metric for any e-commerce site. Each percentage point gained represents considerable additional revenue.
When customers can see a piece of furniture in their living room, a piece of jewelry on their wrist or industrial equipment in their warehouse through augmented reality, some of the hesitation disappears. The product goes from an abstract image to a concrete object, at its real size, in the buyer's everyday life.
The effect on average order value is harder to establish: none of the sources above measures it independently. If you sell expensive products or complementary accessories, track this metric separately.
Time spent on the product page and the usage rate of the augmented reality button are good intermediate indicators: they show whether your customers actually use 3D.
How much can augmented reality save on returns?
Returns are costly: in the United States, they accounted for 13.21% of retail sales in 2024, according to Appriss Retail and Deloitte. Each return involves shipping, inspection, repackaging and restocking costs, not to mention the loss when the product cannot be resold.
Some returns come from a gap between what the customer expected and the product received: furniture bigger than planned, a different color, a bulkier object. Augmented reality narrows this gap by showing the product at real scale, in the customer's surroundings, before the order.
Every avoided return means savings:
- Shipping costs: the cost of return shipping, which grows with the product's size and weight.
- Reduced processing time: Each return mobilizes human resources for quality control, reconditioning and restocking.
- Preserved product value: A returned product often loses its market value, when it is not simply destroyed.
- Increased customer satisfaction: A customer who does not return their purchase is a satisfied customer, more likely to come back and recommend the brand.
Hypothetical example: for an online retailer handling 10,000 orders a month with a 25% return rate, bringing that rate down to 22% would avoid 300 returns a month. At an assumed cost of €12 per return, the savings would be €3,600 a month. Replace these assumptions with your own figures.
What are the benefits beyond sales and returns?
Beyond conversion and return figures, augmented reality fundamentally transforms the experience the customer has on your site. It creates a unique and engaging moment of interaction that strengthens your brand perception.
A customer who can manipulate a product in 3D, rotate it from all angles, zoom in on details and project it into their real environment develops a stronger connection with the product and your brand.
Social media engagement also benefits from AR. Customers love sharing their augmented reality experiences, creating organic digital word-of-mouth for your brand.
In which sectors is augmented reality most useful?
- Furniture and home decor: this is the original sector for augmented reality in e-commerce. Placing a sofa, a table or a lamp in your living room before buying lets you check the dimensions, how the colors match and how much space the item really takes.
- Jewelry and accessories: a 3D model lets customers zoom in on details and perceive the real size of a watch or a piece of jewelry. Virtual try-on on the body, however, requires specialized tools.
- Industrial and professional equipment: B2B companies use AR to show prospects machines, equipment or professional furniture directly in their work environment.
- Home appliances: checking that a refrigerator fits the space planned in the kitchen or that a washing machine fits in the bathroom alcove. Augmented reality removes doubts about dimensions before the order.
- Art and decorative objects: Visualize a painting on a wall, a sculpture on a shelf or a vase on a console. AR allows customers to validate harmony with their interior.
How do you calculate augmented reality ROI?
Calculating the return on investment of augmented reality is based on three main components: revenue increase, savings on returns and platform cost.
Here is the simplified formula to calculate your ROI:
ROI = (margin on additional sales + savings on returns − platform cost) / platform cost × 100
Hypothetical example, to adapt to your business:
- Additional sales: €200,000 in annual revenue on the products with 3D, an assumed 5% increase in their sales (well below the average reported by Shopify) and a 40% gross margin give €4,000 in additional margin per year.
- Avoided returns: 5,000 orders a year on these products and a return rate dropping from 20% to 18%, i.e. 100 avoided returns at €12 each: €1,200 per year.
- Platform cost: twelve months of Visuality's entry plan, i.e. €359.88 excl. VAT per year.
- Creating the 3D models, not counted here: add it to your calculation. Depending on the product, it may be covered by the AI generation quota included in your plan, take time scanning with a smartphone, or require custom modeling on quote.
In this example, excluding the creation of the 3D models, the ROI would be about 1,345%. This result depends entirely on the assumptions: if 3D has no measurable effect on your sales or returns, the ROI turns negative. That is why it is worth testing on a few products before rolling out.
To maximize your ROI, start by equipping your flagship products — those with the highest sales volume or highest return rate. Measure the results, adjust and gradually extend to your entire catalog.
With Visuality, the monthly subscription includes a quota of AI 3D generations; if needed, also budget for scanning time or a modeling quote for some products. The free trial lets you measure how 3D is used on a few products before committing. See all pricing
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Shop adds 3D and augmented reality (AR) previews — Shopify Changelog, 2022-05-11
- Can AR really reduce e-commerce returns? — AR Insider, 2022-11-29
- Annual returns study: $685 billion in returns in the United States in 2024 — Appriss Retail, 2024-12-30