By Jim Clanin
You’ve heard of e-commerce. What about G-Commerce?
Google Glass hasn’t hit the market yet, but Google is already introducing them to a select few developers and contest winners. It won’t be long before you can buy one yourself (for a mere $1500). As team for ecommerce website design, we can’t help but wonder how Google Glass will impact digital marketing.
What is Google Glass?
First, let’s talk about what this device is, and how it works. It’s mostly Glass’s form, not it’s function, that’s so novel. It does everything a smartphone does. It sends and receives information, takes photos and videos, exchanges texts and emails, checks the weather, searches the web. But it does it all hands free, prompted by voice commands. To get a feel for what it’s like to wear Google Glass, check out this video.
Is Google Glass a Disruptive Innovation?
Ecommerce developers are wondering whether Google Glass will turn out to be disruptive. In other words, will it create a new market, disrupting and – eventually – displacing existing markets? Will G-Commerce emerge?
Most ecommerce developers are speculating that, since Glass does essentially the same things as a smartphone, it won’t be disruptive. We think the on-the-go search capability of Google Glass probably carries the most potential for disruption.
Imagine the Possibilities…
Google Glass will allow users to do image capture searching. For instance, you could scan the barcode of a book and Glass can bring up Google Books or Google Shopping, which can even bring up nearby vendors and find you the best price. GPS could even direct you to the retail location and you don’t even have to pull out your phone.
The expansion potential of Google Glass is huge. Imagine integrating it with Google Wallet for a seamless purchase experience, and eliminating the need to comparison shop for the most reliable vendor or the best price. And since Glass is paired with your mobile device, it’s likely that we’ll eventually see apps popping up for use on this innovative digital headwear.
Ready to Adapt?
As it stands this cool but pricey gadget is unreleased; the way Glass may – or may not – disrupt the market remains to be seen. Ultimately, users will determine whether it sticks around. Google Glass could lead the way for other cloud-based apps and innovations, disrupting the browser-based web we know today. Or, it could end up a relative dud – only time will tell.
The real question, then, is this: Can your business withstand a major market change like Google Glass? Are you willing and able to adapt with emerging technology so that your products are at your customers fingertips – no matter how they search?
What do you think- will Google Glass stick around? Would it hurt or help your business?
