Pinterest has launched an augmented reality (AR) feature to help people see how furniture will look in their home before making a purchase. The feature enables users to virtually place items around their homes using the Pinterest Lens camera. The AR technology can be used for retailers such as Crate & Barrel, CB2, Macy’s, Walmart, West Elm, and Wayfair.
‘Try On for Home Décor’ – which follows the debuts of Try On for both lipstick and eyeshadow – is available across more than 80,000 shoppable pins. It comes almost five years after Ikea first introduced its AR-powered app, which does exactly the same thing as Pinterest’s latest feature.
According to Pinterest, the inspiration-focused social media platform has seen a 32% increase in the number of users engaging with shopping surfaces in the past year. And lens camera searches have increased by 126%, while Try On for Beauty usage is up 28% amongst Gen Z users, and 33% amongst Millennials.
“Since the pandemic began, we’re seeing more digitally savvy shoppers than ever before, as millions of people now expect virtual and mobile options to try before they buy, see personalized recommendations, and gather information as part of their decision-making process,” said Jeremy King, SVP of Engineering at Pinterest. “These behaviors are happening across Pinterest every day, which is why we’re continuing to advance technologies like AR Try On and make Pinterest a full funnel shopping destination that takes people from inspiration to purchase anywhere in the app.”
Try On for Home Décor can be accessed via either Pinterest’s iOS or Android app. When browsing home décor products, users will see a cube in the top left corner of items that can be viewed using AR. Users then simply have to tap on the product, and then tap on ‘Try in your space’ to see how the piece of furniture will look in their home.
