Walmart announces AR features on its mobile app
In order to personalize the user’s experience, Walmart has announced augmented reality features on its app that will help customers to make informed decisions before making a purchase.
Wallmart 'View In Your Space"
As the name suggests, View in your space is a product visualization feature that will allow shoppers to virtually try-out 300 furniture and home decor items in their living spaces using Walmart’s smartphone app. It plans to add college essentials in the next few months.
Following Ikea’s lead with the Ikea Kreative AR app the Wallmart app will be available on Walmart’s iOS app in the first week of July. Walmart hasn’t confirmed the exact timeline to announce this feature for its android app.
How does the Walmart AR app work?
To access the feature, customers need to click on the ‘view in your space’ text on AR-enabled items inside the Walmart iOS app. Once it scans the customer’s real environment, they can view the items in their spaces. Moreover, they can resize, rotate or move the objects to correspond to their spaces.
The features consist of haptic feedback functionality wherein it restricts customers to move the objects beyond the boundaries of their room. This adds a bit of realism to their shopping experience.
Wallmart in store AR Experience
With the help of Walmart Global Tech division, Walmart has developed an in-store AR feature which allows consumers to view product information across selected products. The information can be viewed by pointing the smartphone’s camera at Walmart store shelves using the Walmart app.
To illustrate, a customer looking for deals can scan the products to see which items are available on a discount or which items have a loyalty program.
Undoubtedly, the use of augmented reality in e-commerce is shaping the future of retail.
Many brands and retailers have started exploring this immersive technology to enhance the customer’s experience. For example, Swedish-founded company, IKEA, collaborated with Ogilvy on the AR campaign “Escape the Clutter” with the aim of teaching people about the company’s products in a playful way.
