Amazon continues to expand. In addition to its bookstores and grocery stores, Amazon has also begun looking into going into business with appliance and furniture stores, only with a technological twist – using augmented reality (AR).
According to reports from the New York Times, Amazon is considering setting up electronics stores in shopping centres and high streets that would bare some resemblance to Apple Stores. The interesting innovation comes in the form of allowing customers to use AR or virtual reality (VR) to see exactly what a new item would look like when placed in the home.
As the New York Times points out, considering possibilities is a long way from building stores. Nor is Amazon the first retailer to bring the idea of VR to high street stores. American hardware store Lowe’s has been using VR and AR to help customers navigate their stores, compare products and even use VR teaching applications to show customers how to tackle tricky DIY projects.
Recently, a company called Morph 3D began working with high street stores to bring AR technology in the form of AR avatars. Car company DS Automobiles has been engaging customers with VR, also, by allowing customers to view and configure a potential new car in details before deciding on purchase.
Amazon has spent over a decade seemingly aiming to make brick-and-mortar stores obsolete, but some items do require the ability to touch and see the product in the real world before a decision is made. Particularly for high-ticket items or items expected to last a long time, such as furniture.
Whatever Amazon decides, VRFocus will be there to bring you the updates.