From the time it debuted as a technological innovation, augmented reality has created a lot of excitement. It has opened the door to lots of opportunities for businesses to improve customer experience. The furniture industry is unarguably the biggest beneficiary of the technology.
When we consider the nature of home décor and its major challenges, it is easier to understand why AR has been embraced by top players in the industry. IKEA, Houzz, and major retailers like Amazon and Target now use augmented reality. There are equally a lot of other mid-level players in the industry that are embracing augmented reality to improve different aspects of furniture marketing.
Positive Response to AR
The positive response to AR is not because it is a new and trendy technology but because it truly addresses the major challenges of buying furniture online. The online retail giants might have created a perfect business for most consumer goods. However, buying furniture online was a major challenge for several reasons.
Everything about a particular piece of furniture has to be right to create the right home décor. The color of the product has to complement the walls, and the size has to be the right one for it to fit. Getting all these details right can be a huge challenge, and this created lots of problems for both furniture sellers and buyers.
Application of AR in the Furniture Space
The application of AR in the furniture space has addressed these problems squarely. What this technology offers is a complete feel of how any piece of furniture can fit into any indoor or outdoor space. Instead of guessing if a new piece of furniture will go well with the existing curtains, carpet, and other furniture, buyers can place such furniture in their living space virtually, eliminating guesswork.
The AR apps of furniture manufacturers and sellers will project whatever furniture a buyer is considering to purchase in 3D at full scale and anchor them to the floor. This way, the guesswork is eliminated. There won’t be a need for any guess-work-measurement as the items can be viewed in full-scale; in addition, buyers can see vital product info such as dimensions, upholstery material, color, price and so on in augmented reality. The buyer will have a visual and complete aesthetic sense of what his/her room/living space will look like when the new piece of furniture is added. The fact that the images are in 3D also means that the buyer can walk around to appreciate the furniture in the home even before it is bought and delivered. Users can also click photos of the augmented reality rendered items and share with family and friends through email or social media.
A Win-Win for Everyone
Augmented reality makes the transaction process easier for both sellers and buyers. For businesses, it makes it easier to engage customers and improve their shopping experience. It reduces the rate of returns also. On the side of the buyers, augmented reality makes finding and trying products easier. It also helps them to make better decisions based on how exactly products will look in their homes. When the products are finally delivered, there are little chances that the buyer will find anything wrong with them.
Furniture was one of the major industries that was difficult to transition online. With augmented reality, however, the sector has been greatly improved. Customers enjoy a better shopping experience and sellers gain a competitive advantage with AR.