Shopping Experiences Friday, September 4, 2026

AR retail market projected to exceed $10 billion by 2029

The global augmented reality market in retail is projected to grow from approximately $3.52 billion in 2025 to over $10 billion by 2029, driven primarily by virtual try-on features.

The numbers

8.5 million Sephora Virtual Artist AR app try-ons in its first year
98% IKEA AR placement app size accuracy
22% to 40% Reduction in return rates for retailers using AR and VR
95% Users preferring interactive 3D content over static video playback
$30.6 billion Mobile AR market size in 2025

Sources

More from this issue

Retail HealthSep 4, 2026

Hims & Hers stock falls 51% amid acquisition speculation

Hims & Hers shares have declined approximately 51% over the past year to a market capitalization of roughly $7.2 billion following a Q1 2026 revenue miss and gross margin compression to 65%.

Culinary & FoodserviceSep 4, 2026

Owner raises $240 million for AI-native restaurant platform

San Francisco-based Owner raised a $240 million Series D led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives in August 2026 at a $2.3 billion valuation to build an AI-native platform for independent restaurants.

Merchandising & Store OpsSep 4, 2026

Instacart buys Arpalus to power smart cart inventory tracking

Instacart has acquired Arpalus, a computer-vision startup whose smartphone-based system allows in-store workers to record product shelf levels with approximately 95% item-identification accuracy.

Retail HealthSep 4, 2026

Hims & Hers to close $1.15B Eucalyptus acquisition mid-2026

Hims & Hers is expected to complete its $1.15 billion acquisition of Eucalyptus in mid-2026, a move that signals a strategic pivot toward international platform expansion.

Shopping ExperiencesSep 4, 2026

AI and AR reshape retail personalization and immersive shopping experiences

The AI-enabled e-commerce market is estimated at $9.0 billion in 2025, while the AR/VR retail market is projected to reach $1.6 billion in 2025.