Brands could potentially have a challenging 2023 as the economic climate continues to shift and evolve. However, leveraging the latest technological advancements could give your customers a more personalised and bespoke experience, and in turn give your brand the edge over its competitors. 

Technology and its accessibility has grown and developed, even over the course of the last year. What may have been considered far-fetched and futuristic only a few years ago is now very much at the forefront of the conversations brands are having to ensure they entice and entertain their customer base. 

Let’s have a look at some of the technologies which DTC brands are using to continually push for increased market share in 2023. 

Augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) most commonly involves the use of an app or website to overlay a digital product into real-life environments and onto tangible objects. It became popular in ATL activity in 2010 and has had multiple incarnations since but it’s easy to assume that it’s not a widely used technology. Incredibly, 250 million people already use AR technology each day on Snapchat alone, which gives a clear indication that not only is the technology already here, but it’s definitely being interacted with constantly and proficiently.

AR allows users to virtually touch, move, rotate and position products they find online in their current environment, and better decide whether it’s really what they are looking for. Therefore, with the help of AR, it’s possible for users to bring the in-store shopping experience into their own homes. This is an increasingly useful way to give the 44% of shoppers who currently prefer to shop in-store a digital alternative, and for DTC brands who don’t have brick-and-mortar premises a window into that market.

The metaverse

The term “metaverse” is never far away when people come to discuss how the digital landscape will change in the future, but could 2023 be the year where the metaverse’s impact is truly defined?

It has been predicted that the metaverse will contribute $5 trillion to the global economy by 2030, and the biggest players in the DTC space have already invested heavily in the metaverse and virtual reality experiences. Leading consultancy firm Accenture are encouraging brands to “think big, start small and scale fast”, and this has been the approach of players such as Mars, Nike and Louis Vuitton.

However, it’s not all about purchasing virtual trainers from the world’s biggest brands. 33% of shoppers already use virtual reality to visit pop-up shops and make better-informed purchasing decisions, and 75% of global business decision-makers believe that metaverse interactions with customers will become the norm. Could this compliment your DTC model and give you a competitive edge in 2023?

Artificial intelligence & chatbots

As the DTC landscape evolves to meet the current economic climate, so to do the strategies brands have surrounding personalised and bespoke online experiences. Through the use of customer data and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, websites are now suggesting products they know consumers are interested in, and even some they didn’t even know they wanted.

The use of data driven AI is also highly useful in brand marketing strategies, ensuring that users are being connected with products and messages which they know will make them stop their scrolling, and encourage brand exploration. 

In addition, chatbot technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and gives brands a helping hand with the ‘always on’ mentality consumers are beginning to expect. They also help to close that ‘service-gap’ DTC brands often lack when compared to bricks and mortar stores.

Ecommerce has one of the highest levels of chatbot customer “acceptance”. With 80% of consumer queries expected to be handled by chatbots in the next 3 years, there is a suggestion that incorporating this function into your site would not simply be tolerated, but soon expected.

Voice-enabled shopping

By the end of 2023, experts are predicting that there will be more digital voice assistant units in homes than people on the planet. As the technology develops, brands are incorporating voice commerce into their systems, opening up a whole new touchless interface to their user experience. 

Voice commerce involves the action of purchasing a product via voice commands alone through smart speakers, for example, and can be attributed to the development in the above technological advancements in AI and Chatboxes. DTC brands have found this particularly helpful with their retention strategies, as users can quickly reorder products they have purchased previously, and don’t need that visual confirmation again. 

Here at Tribe we help DTC brands maximise their potential in their market space. If any of the above technologies have interested you, let’s chat and explore how you can have a successful 2023!