Macy’s rolls out VR across the US

Department store chain Macy’s has announced the largest virtual reality rollout in retail history, with approximately 70 VR installations across the US.

The rollout is enabled by a partnership with technology provider Marxent following a successful trial in three partner stores that saw VR-influenced furniture sales increase by more than 60 per cent versus non-VR furniture sales, while decreasing return-rate to less than 2 per cent.

“Through the Macy’s VR furniture experience, we are giving our customers a new way to visualise a large selection of furniture products,” Macy’s president Hal Lawton said.

“Customers design their living space and, using a VR headset, immerse themselves in the virtual rooms they create. VR is a practical application proven to drive sales and a terrific example of combining technology and the human touch.”

The program also enables Macy’s to offer a larger, full scale range of furniture in a dramatically smaller space, and will be expanded to a further 20 stores by January 2019.

Additionally, the business revealed an extension of it’s Macy’s iOS app, called “See Your Space IRL”, which allows customers to virtually place Macy’s furniture products into their actual living spaces.

This technology will be available through Macy’s Android App in 2019.

This story first appeared on our sister site Inside Retail Australia.

You have 7 articles remaining. Unlock 15 free articles a month, it’s free.