Ashley Furniture Industries is beginning a company-wide virtual and augmented reality strategy to enable consumers to create interior layouts and experience living spaces in 3-D.

The manufacturer/retailer is partnering with Marxent, a provider of platforms for both AR and VR, and is using the company’s VisualCommerce platform to create and scale the company’s product catalog and publish new 3-D product experiences. The first product from this relationship is the Ashley AR shopping app, which will help shoppers see how home furnishings fit into an existing space. In addition, in-store VR technology bars will combine a guided iPad-based space configuration experience with visualization through VR headsets, which will allow shoppers to design and visualize their bedrooms, dining rooms or living rooms.

Ashley will provide information on which of its stores will feature these offering at the beginning in 2017.

“Augmented and virtual reality are essential to our growth and vision for the future,” said Todd Wanek, Ashley’s president and CEO. “Our data shows that a combination of 3-D visualization, seeing, touching and feeling actual products, combined with the consultation of our knowledgeable salespeople, will lead to a stand-apart customer experience that is location-flexible.”

(Source: hfndigital.com  Author: David Gill)