Electricals retailer Currys PC World has become the latest retailer to launch an Augmented Reality (AR) app that allows its customers to visualise more than 800 products – from fridges to televisions and printers – in their home.
The new offering, dubbed Point and Place, has been designed to improve the shopping experience but will also help customers make more informed purchasing decisions – and therefore reduce the risk of returns.
Mark Adkin, head of UX, design and digital strategy, comments: “This launch is such an exciting step for the Currys PC World business, placing us ahead of our competitors and at the forefront of technological developments. We ran extensive tests on the impact Augmented Reality shopping has on our customers and found that they are actively interested in the technology and the way it aids their decision making.
“Our desire, as the UK’s largest electrical retailer, is to ensure that our customers get it right when it comes to buying any product from our extensive range, and Point and Place will assist decision further reduce purchasing risk be it from the comfort of your home or instore,” he said.
The app has been designed in partnership with AR technology provider Eyekandy.com. “When you’re shopping for televisions, printers, furniture and a host of other products, shoppers have to imagine how a TV is going to look on their wall, or a printer on their desk, or a coffee machine in the kitchen,” said Andy Shackleton, CEO of Eyekandy. “Point and Place closes that imagination gap, reducing decision making timelines on purchases, as well as reducing product returns,” he said.
Image credit: Currys PC World
