Dive Brief:
- As retailers experiment with the Apple Vision Pro, Lowe’s is allowing customers to test its Lowe’s Style Studio app on Apple Vision Pro devices at three stores this month, the home improvement retailer announced Monday.
- Customers can use Apple Vision Pro headsets in stores to virtually visualize preset kitchen styles and customize fixtures, appliances and materials with the help of a store associate. After picking their desired design, they can receive a PDF of it via email, text message or AirDrop file to share with their contractor or loved ones, and buy the selected items online, in-store or via the Lowe’s mobile app, the company said.
- The retailer will pilot the service in Charlotte, North Carolina; North Bergen, New Jersey; and Sunnyvale, California, this month. Though the retailer will allow a few walk-ins, customers can also book an appointment online at those locations.
Dive Insight:
Lowe’s continues to dedicate resources to technology aimed at enhancing the in-store experience for customers and staff. The latest effort follows the launch of the retailer’s Lowe’s Style Studio experience in February.
The retailer introduced its Measure Your Space tool in late 2021, which enabled its iOS app users to measure rooms and receive pricing estimates for flooring. The following year, the company created a digital replica of a couple of its stores, otherwise known as a digital twin, for store associates to optimize operations. The technology combined spatial data with the retailer’s own data, including product location and historic order information.
Alongside Lowe’s, other retailers like Best Buy, Wayfair and StockX have introduced Apple Vision Pro apps to let shoppers preview products before purchasing them. With its new Apple Vision Pro app, Lowe’s wants customers to use the device’s spatial computing capabilities to design their own kitchen. Lowe’s Style Studio enables customers to create up to 80 billion design combinations, the company said.
“Lowe’s has a history of breaking new ground in our industry, and being the first home improvement retailer to offer an Apple Vision Pro experience in select stores is an exciting step in our omnichannel journey,” Seemantini Godbole, Lowe’s chief digital and information officer, said in a statement. “We believe Apple Vision Pro can enhance in-store kitchen design experiences, empowering our customers to visualize their dream kitchens using advanced spatial computing technology.”
As Lowe’s invests in its tech offerings, the retailer has faced recent sales declines amid a challenging housing market. In its latest quarter, net sales dipped 4.4% year over year to $21.4 billion, while Q1 comparable sales fell 4% due to a decline in DIY big-ticket discretionary spending.
