AR in eCommerce: How Wayfair is embracing this technology

New technology in eCommerce means plenty of opportunity for retailers. Not only can they adapt to stand out above their competitors, but it also means they can bring new skills on board when planning their eCommerce recruitment strategy.

Today, we've decided to focus on AR. In-store shopping is no longer the go-to way to shop. However, this does take away the sensory nature of picking new products, be it clothing or furniture. Using AR, more companies are hoping this technology will help bring that in-store experience to the customer at home.

A better online shopping experience

Allowing for an immersive online shopping experience brings new excitement to the customer journey. Furthermore, it allows companies to perfectly blend the lines between their online experience and the in-store experience. With certain industries, like furniture, customers might start the journey online and then visit a store for further research.

AR is also more inclusive in terms of what is required by customers. VR is certainly making waves but would require equipment to function. AR, meanwhile, typically just needs a smartphone or, in some cases, AR glasses, as it is augmenting the reality/environment the customer is already in. 

This tech enhances the overall experience while aiming to dramatically reduce returns. This is definitely a growing trend, so it gives eCommerce retailers the chance to study how this tech fits into their product offering and what talent they would need to hire.

Wayfair and AR

You might have noticed we have used the furniture and homeware industry in our examples. Well, that's because Wayfair caught our attention in the news this week! This industry definitely benefits from this tech. Let's take a sofa for example - customers will be wondering if a certain product will match their style and work in their home. 

This has always been a struggle for brands like Wayfair. So, AR makes it possible to ‘place’ furniture virtually, making online, and mobile especially, much more useful in the homeware sector.

Wayfair is embracing this. 'View in Room 3D' is a new feature added to the app, allowing customers to point their phone camera towards the space where they wish to place the product. The tool will place this product, to scale, so that the user can see exactly how well it fits and what it looks like.

Fascinating, right? You can read more about the brand's dive into AR right here!

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