Wayfair announced the launch of its “Search with Photo” feature that will leverage artificial intelligence to make it easier for shoppers to find furnishings for their homes.
Shoppers can now snap a photo to find and purchase specific products that match looks they see anywhere. A single image allows shoppers to find matches and similar styles from Wayfair’s selection of products.
“We know that everyone has a unique vision for their home and that ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere,” said Steve Conine, co-founder and co-chairman of Wayfair in a release. “A sofa in a friend’s house, a Pinterest board, a barstool at a favorite restaurant or a pillow featured in a design magazine can all spark ideas for decorating one’s home.”
To use the feature, shoppers can tap the camera icon in the Wayfair.com search bar, which allows them to snap a photo or upload one from their photo library. They can then browse visually similar Wayfair products and either purchase them or add them to an Idea Board to view later or share with others.
MCM Musings: This isn’t the first-time Wayfair has dipped its toes into the virtual reality/artificial intelligence space for ecommerce and it doesn’t look like it intends on stopping any time soon.
In November it launched virtual reality app IdeaSpace, a tool for designing spaces with furniture and décor. A couple months earlier it created brand awareness through virtual reality with Patio Playground, using Facebook’s Oculus Rift headset.
Through AI and VR tools like this, Wayfair and others are catering to customers’ need for visual shopping. With social platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat, more customers are getting inspired through imagery. To meet this demand, look for more of this kind of innovation from Wayfair and other cutting-edge retailers.