Wayfair launches in-store digital design studio feature
Wayfair has launched a new feature that combines the best of online and in-store shopping.
The online home furnishings giant debuted a “digital design studio” kiosk that allows customers to create and interact with a variety of design layouts and experience products in a digital 3D room with photorealistic quality.
Located in Wayfair’s AllModern store in Dedham, Mass., the pilot technology enables shoppers to experience the brand’s larger digital catalog in life-like quality. (The company announced at the end of 2021 that it planned to open physical stores across all its banners, starting in 2022 with two AllModern locations and one Joss & Main store.)
Using the new design feature, AllModern store customers can move and place furniture cards to create true-to-scale, virtual furniture arrangements. They can also move the camera to zoom in on the product, view the piece in a different fabric or finish or view the furniture from different perspectives. (View a video of the digital design studio here.)
Wayfair noted that when customers shop for their homes, they either go online and view millions of products or shop in-stores to view a curated selection. The digital design studio merges the two experiences by allowing them to create interactive, three-dimensional spaces, giving them an accurate depiction of what the furnishings look like in various configurations and lighting conditions, the company said.
"Wayfair strongly believes in meeting our customers where they want to shop, whether online or in-person,” said Fiona Tan, CTO, Wayfair CTO. “The Digital Design Studio helps us execute on this omnichannel experience, by making it easier for customers to find what they are looking for and ultimately have greater confidence and satisfaction in their purchase."
The new design studio is an output from Wayfair's research and development team, Wayfair Next, which is charged with examining and evaluating emerging technologies on a two-to-three year horizon.
"As a technology-focused retailer, we are excited for shoppers to experience the pilot of our Digital Design Studio, learn from their feedback, and evolve the offering to continue to create the best possible shopping experience for the home,” said Shrenik Sadalgi, director of research and development at Wayfair.
For more information on the digital design studio, read the blog post, "Introducing Wayfair's Digital Design Studio."
Based in Boston, Wayfair generated $12.2 billion in net revenue for full year 2022. In addition to its namesake and AllModern brands, Wayfair’s other brands include Joss & Main, Birch Lane, Perigold and Wayfair Professional.
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