Aussie retailer April & Oak deploys augmented reality showroom solution

Internet Retailing

5th Feb 2016

Australian homewares retailer, April & Oak, has deployed a new augmented reality solution which allows consumers to visualise products in 3D in their own homes.

The platform, Cimagine, enables consumers to use their iPhone, iPad and mobile to view furniture and other products within their rooms, in their home or at the store.

Used by global brands and retailers including Coca-Cola, Shop Direct and John Lewis, April & Oak is Cimagine’s first Australian customer and has implemented the technology on 100 products in its latest catalogue. Cimagine is in negotiations with several other Australian retailers.

“We are excited to bring Cimagine to Australia as the product is a pioneer. Shoppers can see how a new piece of furniture or home decor will look around their house, saving them the heartache of buying the wrong size or the wrong colour,” said Nati Harpaz, who is distributing the technology in Australia, and who is also director of Octomedia, publisher of Internet Retailing. 

“The user can see the item in its intended surroundings thus making it much easier to buy online products that in the past customers felt they have to see instore.”

Using the technology, stores will also be able to display a larger range of products within a smaller store footprint.

“Cimagine’s exciting technology is the future of e-commerce. It brings more of the physical element of shopping into the online space providing the comfort and the experience of buying a product knowing how it looks and suits other products once placed in its intended location,” concluded Harpaz.

The team behind Cimagine is also currently working on developing the platform to allow visualization of more and more product categories, such as appliances, electronics and flooring.