Introduction
The furniture industry is evolving fast, and AR and 3D shopping are at the forefront of this transformation. Leading retailers are embracing them to enhance customer experiences, simplify complex processes, and stay ahead in their competitive, dynamic market.
As consumers increasingly demand personalized, immersive shopping journeys, tools like 3D configurators are becoming indispensable. But they’re the future of furniture shopping—are you ready? This article will answer everything, so let’s get started!
The Growing Demand for AR & 3D Shopping
This shift is always critical in the furniture industry, especially in today’s digital world. Each buying decision often involves numerous variants, like dimension, style, and materials. Traditional methods (e.g., catalogs and static visuals) no longer meet customer expectations. That’s when AR and 3D shopping are known as the best alternatives today.
While 80% of shoppers using AR feel more confident in their purchases, retailers adopting 3D visualization tools in their stores have seen a 27% increase in orders. These numbers don’t tell lies—they genuinely reflect the true power of AR and 3D shopping, where 3D product configurator software can further improve customer satisfaction.
3D configurators allow you to combine a virtual and physical shopping experience. Customers can feel free to build, customize, and visualize their own furniture design. Each variant is displayed in real-time, helping customers easily make informed decisions.
Benefits of Using AR & 3D Configurators In Furniture Industry
Now that you’ve clarified why there is a surge in AR and 3D shopping demand, it’s time to discover the role of AR and 3D furniture configurators in improving retailer’s performance.
Simplified building and customization
Furniture shopping often involves intricate customization, from selecting materials to adjusting dimensions and finishes. This can take time for forth-and-back communication, making the process more daunting and overwhelming for both customers and retailers.
3D product configurators are easy-to-use tools that allow users to interact with different variants in real time. Customers can now build and customize everything without needing the support of the sales team, which simplifies and smooths designing steps.
Enhanced customer experience
Traditional furniture shopping is more likely to fall short of customer expectations. Physical images or 2D visuals are not enough to capture the true-to-life look and feel of a product. This might lead to customer uncertainty and confusion about their purchasing choices.
Thanks to AR and 3D furniture configurators, customers can enjoy a dynamic journey. 360-degree views and true-to-life visualizations let customers see every product detail. Moreover, the ability to flexibly customize personalized designs also engages customers. That’s how leading furniture retailers are improving customer experience and satisfaction.
Increased sales and reduced returns
The manual design and quoting process—it’s lengthy and sometimes inaccurate—often leads to delays, errors, and frustrated customers. This is especially common in complex or made-to-order products with countless variants and combinations, like furniture.
Product configurator software offers dynamic visualizations and pricing updates that precisely reflect what the products will look like and their costs. This is key to reducing customers’ hesitation, increasing brand trust, leading sales, and minimizing returns.
Saved effort
Investing in AR and 3D shopping is not just because of enhanced customer experience; it’s also about optimizing your business sales cycle and resources effectively. Time-consuming sales processes and prone to errors are all of what to tell about traditional approaches. These inefficiencies will slow down the process for both customers and sales teams.
While customers feel better about saving time finalizing their designs, the sales team can benefit from automated workflow, error-free quotes, and consultation optimization. Additionally, furniture retailers can completely integrate their 3D product configurators into eCommerce, ERP, and CRM systems to create comprehensive backends for control.
How Leading Furniture Retailers Succeed with AR & 3D Shopping
The 3D furniture configurators below will illustrate how leading furniture retailers are adopting these technologies to boost their sales performance and user experiences.
#1. Lundia
Lundia, a leading Finnish manufacturer of modular shelving systems, leverages VividWorks 3D Product Configurators to deliver made-to-order storage solutions. Customers can freely choose the number of shelves, width, height, finishes, colors, and materials, ensuring the perfect fit for their preferences, as well as their working or living spaces.
“Consumers are using the program to plan black shelving arrangements in noticeably higher numbers. Products presented on the program seem to sell better.”
Liris Hollo, Development Manager of Lundia
#2. IKEA
IKEA’s 3D product configurator software offers simple, real-time shopping experiences. Customers can access the platform online or in-store to interact with their home furnishings. Of course, you can leverage the role of the sales team for your first experience at IKEA.
Beyond the configuration, IKEA provides a planning room tool (IKEA Room Planner) that allows for the creation of detailed room layouts, making it easier to coordinate furniture. Apparently, customers are experiencing a more enjoyable, immersive shopping experience.
#3. Ideal Keittiöt
Ideal Keittiöt, a Finland-based company, is an expert in manufacturing furnishings for kitchens, bathrooms, and closets. Known for its focus on innovation and customization, the company provides customers with tailored solutions called Oodi Express Planner.
This AR and 3D shopping application, powered by VividWorks, enables users to create their ideal designs in a true-to-life environment easily. Customers can visualize their spaces in real-time, customize products to their preferences, and access instant pricing. This ensures a fast, seamless, and automated ordering process, from design to delivery.
Conclusion
The adoption of AR and 3D shopping is key to standing out your brand in today’s competitive furniture industry. By using powerful tools like 3D furniture configurators, retailers can simplify customization, improve shopping experience, and boost sales.
Don’t forget to inspire ideas from leading furniture retailers who have successfully implemented these technologies to level up your furniture business performance.
