Taking place in High Point, North Carolina during April is the High Point Market, one of the largest furnishing trade shows in the world. To start the event Wayfair co-founders Niraj Shah and Steve Conine will be joined by Fast Company co-founder Polly LaBarre to give the opening keynote presentation. For the event Wayfair will be showcasing virtual reality (VR) for the first time to attendees.
Wayfair is an online destination for home furnishings and décor, that has been experimenting with VR technology to create unique shopping experiences for the home. Using VR, the company wants to transform the way consumers are able to visualize products into their designs, hoping to accelerate the shift the purchasing of home furnishings online. Wayfair unveiling its plans for VR to attendees at the ‘Trade Services by Wayfair’ space during High Point Market.
LaBarre mean while will focus her presentation on business culture, leaders and how technology and innovation will define future success for the furnishing industry. An industry currently valued at $97 billion USD in retail sales in 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“The design industry is contending with relentless, multifaceted, occasionally shocking change,” says LaBarre in a statement. “In that world, the most important question for leaders of organizations of every size and every type is: are you capable of changing as fast as change itself? It’s no longer enough to have one hit – the imperative today is to build an evolutionary advantage.”
Wayfair isn’t alone in looking at VR as a possible future innovation for the industry. iStaging a Taiwanese-based startup has launched its iStaging App for iOS and Android which uses VR and augmented reality (AR) to aid interior design.
VRFocus will continue to follow the latest developments in the interior design industry’s use of VR, reporting back any new announcements.
-END-
The post Wayfair to Showcase VR at High Point Market appeared first on VRFocus.
