In April's issue, Furniture News, supported by leading 3D furniture product visualisation platform Chaos Cylindo, presented Understanding the Furniture Shopper, a comprehensive report on how UK consumers shop for furniture – both in-store and online.
Among the areas investigated was the technologies shoppers would like to encounter when visiting a furniture store.
Based on the perceived strengths of the online shopping experience, the sample was asked to evaluate some of the activities they would like to be able to carry out.
Nearly three-fifths (59%) of respondents said they would like to be able to visualise their chosen colour/finish on an interactive screen, while half (50%) said they would like the option to place the product in a virtual room similar to their home (also on an interactive screen).
An overwhelming 72% said they would like to browse a wider product catalogue than what is available in-store.
New technology offers brick-and-mortar retailers with new ways to meet demand. For example, given the significant appetite for the ability to browse a wider product catalogue than can be displayed in-store, retailers may wish to supplement their physical offer by adopting endless aisle technology, installing digital kiosks which can display the full range of options available, digitally.
“As the digital and in-store experiences blur, retailers will have to use digital technology to extend their storefronts,” says Jostein Pedersen, VP product - 3D commerce, at Chaos Cylindo.
“Whether that's through adopting endless aisle technology, installing digital kiosks, or equipping their sales team with tablets so they can help customers configure the product they want to buy, using the power of digital technology in-store will be crucial moving forward.”
Click here to read the full report.
