Product AR

Picture this: Your customer needs a new industrial conveyor system, but they’re stuck staring at endless specification dropdowns and generic 3D models on their screen. That nagging worry sets in––”Will this actually fit in our facility? How will it connect with our existing equipment? Will I be fired if I get this wrong!”

Product Augmented Reality (AR) eliminates these concerns. Your customer simply pulls out their phone or tablet, points it at their factory floor, and instantly sees their configured conveyor system come to life in exactly the space where it needs to go. The system automatically validates ceiling heights, door clearances, and proximity to existing machinery––all before placing their order.

This capability––one of Gartner’s “Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2025″––is becoming essential as B2B buying rapidly shifts online. Today’s buyers expect to make even complex, high-value purchases digitally and need tools that give them the same confidence they once got from having a sales rep physically present in their space.

Understanding the Modern Buyer’s Mindset

B2B buying behavior has undergone a dramatic transformation. 85% of buyers now establish purchase requirements before contacting sales. This shift reflects a broader change in expectations, where the convenience and sophistication of B2C digital experiences have become the benchmark for B2B transactions.

Digital fluency has reshaped what buyers consider essential in their purchasing process. They expect immediate access to detailed product information, precise specifications, and most importantly, tools that help them visualize and validate their choices. The ability to independently confirm that a product meets their requirements has become paramount, particularly when making high-value or complex purchasing decisions.

This self-directed approach extends to configuration and customization. Modern buyers want to explore options and modifications on their own time, often using mobile devices, and expect sophisticated tools that make this process intuitive. They’re no longer satisfied with static images or basic product descriptions––they seek interactive experiences that provide the confidence to make major purchasing decisions without physical demonstrations.

While these shifts in buyer behavior are clear, traditional CPQ systems have struggled to keep pace in three key areas:

1. Independence and Self-Service: Traditional CPQ systems can sometimes force buyer-sales interaction due to their complexity. They offer powerful configuration capabilities, but their linear, form-based interfaces frequently require guidance to navigate effectively.
2. Digital Experience Expectations: Traditional CPQ platforms typically separate configuration from visualization. Users must complete their specifications before seeing the results, making it cumbersome to iterate and explore options. This sequential approach feels dated compared to the interactive, real-time experiences buyers encounter in their B2C purchases.
3. Information Access and Usability: Most systems present information in a structured but rigid format that makes it difficult for buyers to understand the real-world impact of their choices. While all the specification data and basic visualizations may be available, the lack of intuitive UX means buyers often cannot confidently make decisions without additional support.

How Product AR Transforms CPQ

Augmented Reality (AR) technology, which overlays digital information onto the physical world through mobile devices, has largely overcome the limitations above. 

At its core, it addresses the fundamental visualization and validation challenges that have long plagued traditional configure, price, and quote processes. The technology’s defining feature––spatial awareness––allows it to understand and interact with physical environments in real-time. Customers can now project configured products into their actual spaces, automatically scaled and oriented to fit within real-world constraints.

This spatial intelligence extends beyond simple placement. Modern augmented reality technology can detect surfaces, measure spaces, and understand spatial relationships between objects. For example, when configuring industrial equipment, the AR system can automatically verify ceiling heights, door clearances, and proximity to existing machinery. This environmental awareness helps prevent costly specification errors and eliminates the need for manual measurements.

Customers are increasingly leveraging these capabilities independently. Rather than waiting for sales representatives to conduct site surveys, buyers can point their mobile device in the right direction to validate configurations in minutes. They can walk around virtual products, examine them from any angle, and even simulate operation in their intended location.

School Specialty, a leading educational furniture provider, has seen this transformation firsthand. By implementing Epicor CPQ’s AR functionality in their sales process, they’ve moved beyond static catalog images to let customers visualize different furniture configurations directly in their classrooms in real-time, significantly streamlining the decision-making process.

Benefits of CPQ + Product AR

Sales Process Optimization AR-enabled CPQ streamlines sales by eliminating the need for most site visits, samples, and demos. Sales teams spend less time on basic configuration support and more time on strategic opportunities.

Configuration Accuracy Spatial awareness capabilities automatically validate fit and space requirements, reducing specification errors and costly modifications. Buyers who can visualize products in their space make more accurate decisions from the start.

Customer Experience Customers gain confidence through direct product visualization and self-service configuration. The ability to see products in their actual environment leads to better-informed decisions and higher satisfaction.

Business Impact AR visualization helps customers appreciate upgrade value, often leading to larger deals. Companies reduce sales support costs while positioning themselves as industry innovators.

Through AR, CPQ systems finally deliver the seamless, self-directed experience that B2B buyers demand, while simultaneously providing the technical accuracy and validation that complex product configuration requires.

Where We’re Heading

Looking ahead, AR-enabled CPQ is just the beginning of a broader transformation in B2B digital commerce. As mixed reality technologies mature, we’ll likely see the emergence of collaborative configuration spaces where multiple stakeholders can simultaneously interact with virtual products. Generative AI will enhance these systems, automatically suggesting optimal configurations based on environmental scans and usage patterns. 

Those who invest in building AR capabilities today are laying the groundwork for the next generation of immersive B2B commerce. To see how AR-enabled CPQ can transform your sales process, contact Epicor CPQ today for a personalized demo. Our team will show you firsthand how this technology can help your customers make faster, more confident buying decisions while reducing your sales costs.