Pinterest has added a new feature to its platform, allowing users to see how home décor and furniture will look in their own homes, using augmented reality (AR).
The new feature follows in the virtual footsteps of other retailers such as Amazon, IKEA and Wayfair, who have already taken AR strides into the digital home décor design space. Consumer can “try before they buy” by virtually placing items in their home using the Pinterest Lens camera.
If the user likes what they see, they can follow the link to purchase the item directly from the retail partner.
Launching in the US initially, the new feature will be available across more than 80,000 shoppable Pins, making it Pinterest’s largest AR shopping investment to date. Previous ‘Try on’ features have targeted the beauty market, but home décor is Pinterest’s top category, with 3.37 billion search clicks in 2021.
Pinterest has also revealed that its users are five times more likely to purchase from a ‘Try On’-enabled Pin than a standard Pin.
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“This is our latest step in bringing together the worlds of augmented reality and shopping as people seek more immersive online experiences that help [users] make purchase decisions from the comfort of their home,” a statement read.
The social media platform has been making a concerted move to attract consumers in recent years, following an ongoing decline in monthly users, despite rolling out a number of new ecommerce features.
“Since the pandemic began, we’re seeing more digitally savvy shoppers than ever before, as millions of people now expect virtual and mobile options to try before they buy, see personalized recommendations, and gather information as part of their decision-making process,” said Pinterest’s SVP of Engineering Jeremy King.
“These behaviours are happening across Pinterest every day, which is why we’re continuing to advance technologies like AR Try On and make Pinterest a full-funnel shopping destination that takes people from inspiration to purchase anywhere in the app.”
Although currently US-only, Pinterest has said the AR shopping feature will roll out to global markets.
