Product knowledge gives consumers confidence

If consumers need to select a product and buy it online, they need to be sure they have the information they need to do it right. Sometimes this can be an obstacle to closing the sale.

For example, automotive tires are a fast-growing product category in e-commerce, as consumers seek to save money on these products which are expensive and are purchased every few years – or more often, in case of damage or when different tires are needed for different seasons.

At the same time, many consumers fear buying tires online because they are not sure they are ordering the right size and specification for their vehicle. The information is on the sidewall of the tire, but it’s in an alphanumeric code and it’s not something consumers look at every day. Even if they are sure they have found it, they then have to enter it on the website.

“There are so many people who just don’t want to care and want to be sure they have the right number.” Lukas KinigadnerCEO and co-founder of any line, said PYMNTS.

Uncertainty is turning consumers away from e-commerce

This uncertainty often leads consumers to go to a physical retailer to buy tires instead, as the employees there will determine the information and help select the tires.

Anyline aims to solve this challenge with a tire size analysis tool that can be integrated into online retailers’ websites and apps. Powered by machine learning and computer vision, this solution uses the consumer’s phone camera to scan the tire, determine the size and specifications, and share them with the retailer, who can then show the customer the correct tires .

For the consumer, this solution appears as a button on the retailer’s website that they can press to start the process. Because this option appears at the moment that would normally be a disincentive to purchase — the moment a site asks for the tire size — it solves the problem and builds buyer loyalty.

“We think this will make this whole shopping experience easier to the extent that the vast majority of people will stay with this whole shopping experience and not turn to more conventional channels,” Kinigadner said.

Consumers don’t want to download single-use apps

Tire store employees also use a scanning solution to determine not only the size and specifications of the tire, but also its age and whether it is subject to a recall. Technology speeds up the process and improves accuracy.

The Anyline product is offered to enterprises as Software as a Service (SaaS) on an annual subscription basis, and payments are made as part of the setup process. It is a white-label solution that can be integrated into a company’s consumer-facing website and app or on its employees’ cameras.

“On the consumer side, what we’re seeing is that more and more people don’t want to download and install apps for a single-use experience,” Kinigadner said. “We find that people want to be able to access a mobile website and have a similar experience without an app.”

Knowledge puts customers in the driving seat

When consumers have the information they need, they can shop proactively rather than buying tires in a hurry when a dealer or store tells them their tires need to be replaced. Armed with product information, they can buy online, boosting an already growing e-commerce market.

“With e-commerce, customers can fundamentally change that and take back control of that whole tire shopping experience,” Kinigadner said. “Who doesn’t want to do that? So I believe that’s why this whole market is developing this way.