The promise of augmented reality opens up new opportunities for retailers
Retail brands are increasingly turning to augmented reality platforms as a way to reinvigorate the consumer’s experience.
Many major consumer-driven companies are now successfully using augmented reality technology and AR apps to enrich their customers’ experiences and interactions with their brand, to ultimately boost sales.
In celebration of Retail Week, DMN looks at some of the best uses of AR by retail companies.
Wayfair
WayfairView is the new augmented reality app by Wayfair. The app lets users place full-scale 3-D virtual models of Wayfair products in real settings. Users select images of furniture or décor from Wayfair’s online catalogue and use the touch screen on their phone or tablet to position the objects on their room’s floor, walls, or ceiling. The app will be available on a new Lenovo phone this year and on more devices later.
“WayfairView should give people more confidence to buy from us without worrying whether something’s the right size,” said Mike Festa, the director of Wayfair’s R&D division in a company press release.
IKEA
In 2013, IKEA created an AR catalog app to help customers visualize how certain pieces of furniture would fit and look in their very own homes. Customers launch the app on their smartphone or tablet, and use the camera function to capture an image of a room in their home. The customer can then select different items from the IKEA catalog to see how the finished, assembled piece of furniture will look in their home before they purchase.
“We want to start a conversation about the pressures we knowingly or unknowingly put on ourselves when it comes to life at home,” said Shideh Hashemi, Marketing Manager, IKEA U.S in a company press release. “We want to enable people to just relax, embrace simplicity, and enjoy their time at home.”
Converse
The shoe company created the AR-fueled Converse Sampler app in 2014. The customer are able to select any shoe from the Converse catalog and simply point the phone towards you foot to see how the (virtual) shoe will look wearing it.
American Apparel
The clothing company, in 2013, developed an AR app for in-store patrons to scan an item to see the product in different colors and read reviews by other customers who have bought that item.
De Beers
Jewelry company De Beers launched the Forevermark Fitting AR app to give shoppers the opportunity to try on the Forvermark collection through their webcam, and see how pieces would look in certain lights and against certain skin tones.
