Dive Brief:
- To catalyze more social shopping on its platform, Pinterest debuted its Try On for Home Decor tool, which lets users preview furnishings in their home with augmented reality technology, the social media app announced on Monday.
- Using the Pinterest Lens camera, the tool will let users virtually stage their homes with items from retailers such as Walmart, West Elm, Wayfair, Crate and Barrel, and CB2. The company said it is introducing the feature for U.S. users on Android and iOS, and it will make the tool accessible to international users "in the future."
- Pinterest said that users are five times more likely to buy items featured in Try On-enabled pins than standard pins.
Dive Insight:
Pinterest is transforming itself into a destination for virtual product testing and social commerce.
The company's internal data suggests that its users, particularly millennial and Gen Z consumers, are increasingly interested in using the platform for social shopping. Visual searches using the Pinterest Lens camera increased 126% between Q4 2020 and Q4 2021, per company figures. Millennial and Gen Z cosmetic product testing using the try-on for beauty tool increased by 33% and 28%, respectively.
"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," Jeremy King, senior vice president of engineering at Pinterest, said in a statement. "These behaviors 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."
For the past several years, retailers like Macy's, Wayfair, Target, Amazon and Ikea have been experimenting with AR and VR tools to let shoppers visualize furniture in their homes before purchase. Online platforms, including Pinterest, have added furniture, cosmetics and other products to their lineup of virtual product testing capabilities to increase purchase confidence. Snapchat has invested heavily in AR tools and partnerships, and individual retailers are also debuting tools. Last September, Etsy unveiled the Etsy House, an AR experience that allowed viewers to tour a virtual home featuring items chosen from its marketplace.
About a year ago, Pinterest added eyeshadow to its AR try-on tool, letting users virtually test out cosmetics from Urban Decay, NYX Cosmetics, YSL and other brands. The app released its Shopping List feature in June, allowing customers to save their product pins in one spot and track price decreases. And in October, the app unveiled shopping recommendations, product tagging and AR try-on integration for Idea Pins.
