How AR & VR Are Transforming E‑Commerce: UX Testing and Proxy Strategies

04.12.2025

The article content

Introduction: why AR/VR is more than a buzzword — it’s a real force in e‑commerce

Imagine walking into a virtual store, picking up a sofa, dropping it into your living room and instantly seeing if the size and style fit. Sounds like magic? It’s already happening, and it’s changing online retail. AR and VR are more than a “wow” effect: they’re tools that can cut returns, boost conversions and build customer loyalty. By 2025, rendering quality, data speeds and accessibility have all improved dramatically. But how do you verify that AR/VR works as intended for different users across various countries? That’s where proxies and a solid testing methodology come in.

Quick definitions: what are AR and VR, and how do they differ?

Simply put: AR (augmented reality) overlays digital objects onto the real world via your phone camera or smart glasses; VR (virtual reality) immerses you fully in a digital environment. AR is like putting a filter over reality, VR is stepping into a different world. They solve different problems in online retail: AR helps you try products in your real environment, while VR creates showrooms and immersive experiences.

Why this matters for marketplaces and online stores

Here’s the simple logic: shoppers want to see products as close to reality as possible—especially for high-value items or anything where size and appearance matter. AR reduces uncertainty. Tired of seeing tons of clothing returns due to fit? AR and VR help reduce that guesswork. Picture a customer at home seeing how a dress fits or how a couch looks in their room — that confidence turns into purchases.

Business benefits

Higher conversion: realistic visuals lower the barrier to buy.
Fewer returns: customers make fewer mistakes on size and style.
Bigger average order value: when shoppers see items in context, they often add complementary products.
Differentiation: AR/VR is a competitive edge, especially for niche marketplaces.

UX in AR/VR: what truly matters

You have to think like both a designer and an engineer. User experience isn’t just pretty visuals — it’s speed, clarity and frictionless interactions. Would you wait three minutes for an AR feature to start? Or keep an app with a confusing interface? Here are the core principles:

1. Minimal friction to launch

Users should start AR quickly: open the camera, calibrate the space and see the product. No endless permission prompts, huge downloads or complex instructions. The simpler, the better — the more likely the user reaches the “try on” moment.

2. Reliable tracking and positioning

Tracking is the heart of AR. If a virtual object drifts or scales wrong, the illusion breaks. Tracking depends on lighting, camera quality and algorithms. Test in real scenarios: office, street, dim room, bright sun.

3. Quality 3D models

Lightweight yet detailed models are the sweet spot. Heavy models choke rendering and drain battery. Over-optimizing can strip out details customers need, though — balance is key.

4. Intuitive interface

Gestures, prompts and simple buttons should be crystal clear. Users shouldn’t need a manual to move or rotate an item.

5. Fast, clear feedback

Buttons like “Buy,” “Add to cart,” “Share” and “Save” must be visible. A customer who has just tried a product is primed to act — don’t miss that moment.

Technical hurdles: what gets in the way of great UX

Tech isn’t perfect yet, and constraints come from many places. Here are common challenges teams face:

Device performance differences: older phones struggle with complex scenes.
Network latency and packet loss: critical for dynamic effects.
Browser and OS limitations: WebAR/WebXR support varies.
Geolocation and locale issues: AR content can differ by region.
3D content protection and DRM: how to prevent unauthorized copying.

How to test AR/VR features: approaches and methodology

Testing AR/VR is like touring a house and checking every door and window: you need to touch and try everything across scenarios and devices. Here’s a step-by-step plan we recommend.

Phase 0: Planning

Define test goals. Are you checking render correctness, measuring latency, evaluating UX metrics or running regression after an engine update? Build a matrix of devices, OS versions and geographies that matter for the business.

Phase 1: Functional testing

Cover basic flows: launch AR, load the model, interact with it, complete purchase from AR mode, save preferences. Test different permission states and camera resolutions.

Phase 2: Performance testing

Measure FPS, load times, memory usage and battery drain. Real users create real conditions: low battery, many background apps — account for that.

Phase 3: Qualitative UX testing

Run user sessions and watch how people use the feature. Many UX issues only appear in live use: unclear prompts, nonobvious gestures, fear of “breaking” the virtual object.

Phase 4: Geo and network testing

Content and behavior can vary by GEO: site versions, CDN policies, local APIs and legal restrictions matter. Emulate access from different countries to spot issues.

Phase 5: Automation and continuous testing

Some tests can be automated: rendering checks for specific scenes, load scenarios, regression tests. But automation has limits in AR/VR — many checks still need visual confirmation by humans.

Proxies in AR testing: why they matter and how to use them

Proxies act as a bridge between your test environment and real networks. They let you emulate traffic from different countries, change IPs, manipulate request headers and test app behavior under varied network conditions. But how does that help AR/VR?

Why proxies matter for AR/VR

First, many marketplaces and CDNs serve content differently by region: models, textures and even feature availability can vary. Second, some features rely on external services (map APIs, geoservices, payment gateways) that respond differently to requests from different countries. Third, simulating poor networks via proxies or artificial latency shows how the UI behaves in real-world conditions.

Types of proxies and their uses

Residential proxies: IPs tied to real devices in different countries. Great for checking content as it appears in real GEOs.
Data-center proxies: fast and cheap, but sometimes blocked for abnormal patterns.
Mobile proxies: mimic traffic from mobile carriers — ideal for testing mobile AR features.
Reverse proxies and infrastructure proxies: let you log traffic, modify responses and simulate failures.

Practical proxy workflow for AR/VR tests

Simple scenario: you’ve rolled out a new AR feature and want to check availability and behavior from Germany, Brazil and Russia on iPhone and Android. Set up proxies (residential or mobile) for those GEOS, route test devices or emulators through them, and run your scenarios. Log metrics: model load time, FPS, successful/failed sessions and error messages.

Hands-on example: testing AR furniture try-on on a marketplace

Let’s break this case into clear, actionable steps so you can see how it works in practice.

Preparation

Goal: verify how AR furniture try-on works across devices and geos.
Matrix: 6 countries, 4 network types (Wi‑Fi, 4G, 3G, mobile roaming), 8 devices (various Android and iPhone models), 3 lighting conditions.
Tools: test devices, proxies (residential and mobile), logging and screenshot tools, FPS measurement software.

Test scenarios

Open product page → launch AR → place item in room → save image → proceed to purchase.
Repeat on a weak connection with simulated packet loss.
Test models with different LOD (level of detail).
Check behavior when changing language and locale.
Verify models load via CDN and that regional restrictions don’t block resources.

Key metrics

Time to first AR frame (TTFR — time to first render).
Average FPS and frequency of drops below critical thresholds.
Percentage of successful AR sessions.
Time from AR launch to “Buy” action.
Long-term impact: abandonment and return rates.

Findings and fixes

After tests you may find bottlenecks: oversized textures slowing loads in some regions; CDN blocking resources in a specific country; wrong localization of product names; tracking problems on older phones. For each issue you create an action plan: optimize LOD, configure fallback CDNs, add localization checks and implement graceful degradation — a fallback experience without AR for weaker devices.

Integration nuances: WebAR vs Native AR

WebAR runs in the browser; Native AR runs inside an app. Both have pros and cons.

WebAR

Accessible: no app install required.
Limitations: browser APIs don’t always expose every capability and performance can be lower.
Flexibility: easier to run A/B tests and route traffic through proxies.

Native AR

Pros: better performance, deeper API access, more stable tracking.
Cons: requires app installs and updates are harder to distribute.

Pick based on goals. Want broad reach fast? Go WebAR. Need premium immersion? Choose Native AR.

SEO and AR/VR: how they affect marketplace rankings

You might be surprised, but AR/VR affect SEO directly and indirectly. How?

Direct factors

Time on page: interactive AR content keeps users engaged longer — a quality signal to search engines.
CTR: product pages labeled “AR” can attract more clicks.
Structured data: correctly marking AR availability can yield enhanced search snippets (depending on the search engine).

Indirect factors

Lower bounce rates: users who interact with AR are likelier to progress toward purchase.
Repeat visits and branding: great experiences bring users back.
Localization: AR that works correctly in local markets boosts local relevance.

There are risks: heavy 3D assets can slow pages and hurt rankings. Optimize assets and provide graceful degradation — high-quality photos and videos when AR isn’t available.

Privacy, security and legal concerns

AR/VR use cameras, spatial data and sometimes geolocation. That puts privacy front and center. Pay attention to:

Transparent permissions: tell users why you need camera access and how you’ll use the data.
Data minimization: store only what’s necessary.
Compliance with local laws: some countries have strict rules for personal data processing.
Protecting 3D content: guard models against unauthorized downloads.

Proxy testing helps uncover hidden behaviors: sometimes servers return different data depending on IP, which can lead to leaks or unexpected behavior.

Infrastructure: CDN, file formats and optimization

How do you make AR fast and reliable worldwide? It’s an architecture question. Practical tips:

File formats

Use modern 3D formats like glTF (GL Transmission Format) — lightweight, supports PBR materials and fits the web well. Compress textures and use LOD.

CDN and caching

Serve 3D assets via a global CDN. Configure caching and versioning so new models update correctly and old versions don’t interfere. Prepare fallback servers for regions with restrictions.

Edge rendering and layered strategies

Sometimes pre-rendering on edge servers and delivering simplified scenes makes sense. That reduces client load.

Data collection and analytics: what to measure for AR/VR

No numbers, no proof. Track these metrics:

Engagement: how long users spend in AR/VR mode.
Conversion: how many AR sessions lead to purchases.
Tech metrics: FPS, load time, tracking errors.
Traffic quality: geo, device type, acquisition channel.
Behavior: which products are tried most often.

Collect data with privacy in mind — anonymize and aggregate where required.

Automating AR tests: what can realistically be automated

AR is inherently visual, so automation has limits. Still, automate where it makes sense:

Check server responses and correctness (HTTP codes, headers).
Monitor load times and CDN behavior.
Automate screenshot comparisons (visual regression) for static scenes.
Run API load tests for 3D asset services.

UX and perception checks are better done manually or with real users.

Internationalization pitfalls: local AR quirks

Remember: the world isn’t uniform. Local specifics shape AR:

Cultural context: items and styles that make sense in one country can feel odd in another.
Infrastructure limits: low internet speeds in rural regions.
Legal constraints: bans or restrictions on certain data or technologies.

Proxy testing helps surface these local nuances before release.

AR/VR testing checklist for marketplaces

Here’s a compact, practical checklist you can use right away:

Define target GEOs and device list.
Set up proxies for each GEO (residential, mobile, data-center as needed).
Run functional tests: AR launch, interaction, checkout flows.
Measure performance: FPS, load times, memory usage.
Conduct UX sessions with real users in varied lighting and environments.
Verify fallback modes for devices without AR support.
Set up analytics events and metric collection.
Test localization and legal compliance.
Audit security and privacy policies.
Automate routine checks and visual regression tests.

Success stories and lessons from the field

These examples show AR/VR working in practice:

Case 1: furniture retail chain

Problem: high furniture return rate due to size and style mismatches. Solution: roll out WebAR try-on, optimize models for mobile and pilot in three regions. Result: returns dropped 18% and furniture conversions rose 25% in six months. Key: fast, lightweight AR and smooth checkout integration.

Case 2: fashion brand

Problem: premium apparel sales stagnated because customers doubted the fit. Solution: body-scan based AR try-on and a hybrid approach — app plus web storefronts. Result: improved NPS and fewer returns. Core lesson: respect privacy and be transparent about data usage.

Case 3: auto dealer

Problem: limited ability to showcase configurations in dealerships. Solution: VR showroom for premium clients with full vehicle configuration. Result: longer engagement and more qualified leads after VR demos. Lesson: VR shines in high-ticket segments.

Budget and ROI: is it worth investing now?

Managers often ask this. The answer depends on your niche and goals. High average order value and high return rates make ROI come faster. For low-cost items where buyers don’t need deep visual confirmation, ROI is lower.

Budget items: 3D model creation, engine integration (WebAR/WebXR or native SDK), CDN and storage, testing (including proxies), analytics and support. With clear objectives, projects pay back through fewer returns, higher conversion and larger average orders.

The future: AR/VR trends to watch in e‑commerce

Tech keeps moving. Expect several trends in the coming years:

Higher-quality real-time rendering and model generation driven by neural networks.
Wider WebAR adoption as WebXR standards and browser support improve.
AI integration: personalized AR recommendations, automated size and style suggestions.
Growth of mobile AR ecosystems and new devices (lightweight glasses, edge rendering).
Tighter offline-online interaction: VR showrooms at physical stores synced with online product pages.

Practical starter tips: a step-by-step plan

Ready to begin? Follow this simple roadmap:

Pick one product category where AR/VR will have the biggest impact (furniture, apparel, electronics).
Launch an MVP — a basic WebAR try-on.
Test with real users and collect metrics.
Use proxies to validate availability and behavior in key regions.
Optimize models and CDN based on data.
Expand features gradually: scene saving, try-on with friends, sync with AR marketing campaigns.

Useful tools and libraries

Here are technologies and services to help build and test AR/VR:

WebXR and A-Frame — for WebAR projects.
ARKit (iOS) and ARCore (Android) — for native solutions.
Three.js and Babylon.js — browser 3D engines.
glTF — recommended 3D model format.
CDN and edge providers for global delivery.
Proxy providers: residential and mobile proxies for GEO testing.

Conclusion: AR/VR is a path to more human shopping

AR and VR are transforming online retail by bringing the shopping experience closer to real-life interactions. To succeed you must think beyond cool tech and put the user first: their devices, networks, expectations and anxieties. Testing with proxies is a practical way to ensure your product works in the real world, across real countries and devices. Start small, measure, optimize and scale. And remember: the best AR is the one that makes buying easier, not harder — then your users will say yes faster than you can say "add to cart".

Quick checklist for preparing proxy tests

Compile a list of target countries and GEOs.
Choose proxy types (residential, mobile, data-center).
Create a device and network matrix.
Set up scenarios and metrics.
Run tests, collect data and analyze results.
Implement improvements and repeat the cycle.

Ready to get started? Make your AR experience light, fast and friendly — and your users will tap “yes” before you can finish saying "add to cart".