The Rise of Augmented Reality in the Furniture Industry

A team from Cylindo took the stage at High Point, participating in Universal Furniture Learning Center events to talk about augmented reality (AR). 

Every year, Universal Furniture hosts a series of educational events at High Point Market under the name of Learning Center, where subject matter experts cover trending topics in the furniture industry. 

Russ Martin, Johannah Coffey, and Juan Malina took the stage to discuss the application of augmented reality in the furniture industry and how manufacturers and designers can leverage AR as a tool to bring brands closer to consumers. 

Augmented reality, considered a social media gimmick when it first appeared, has quickly gained traction as a technology that enables companies to better serve their customers. In this particular use case, designers can leverage the technology provided by brands to bring a visualized product to life and show customers how a product would fit their space. 

“Augmented reality is everywhere, and I strongly believe most of us have used it whether we realize it or not. There are already 100 million people using AR to shop online, and that number is expected to grow as the years go by.”

- Russ Martin, Director of Sales North America, Cylindo

In a lively and engaging session, the team explained why AR is becoming table stakes for leading furniture companies and how designers can incorporate the technology into their everyday work, with a handful of applicable use cases. 

“It’s all about the journey that brands and designers take their customers on. Before, brands and designers alike had to use pictures and mockups and rely completely on the customer’s imagination to help answer the big question: what would that look like in my space? Now, with AR, they can visualize right on the spot.”

- Juan Molina, Enterprise Sales, Cylindo

Industry insights confirm AR is gaining wider adoption, with 3.6 billion mobile devices already supporting AR technology, and seven out of ten people confirmed their interest in using AR in everyday life according to Snap Inc x Deloitte.

“The majority of shoppers are more likely to buy a product they’ve seen visualized through AR. Brands and designers need to meet clients where they already are — and it’s clear to me end consumers are ready for this. Use AR to drive the experience, build their confidence, and move them a lot faster through the funnel.”

- Johannah Coffey, Customer Success Team Lead, Cylindo

Watch the full session here, and discover more ways to leverage AR as a brand or designer. 

Cylindo is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the event and is looking forward to developing technologies that allow companies to create engaging experiences.