Macy’s announces mobile, AR and VR initiatives

Macy’s reports that Mobile Checkout, powered by the retailer’s app and designed to speed the in-store checkout process, is slated for a US roll-out to all full-line stores by the end of this year. The company’s Bloomingdale’s division will begin testing the feature later this month at its SoHo location in New York City, ahead of future implementation across its namesake stores.

An augmented reality furniture shopping experience will also be incorporated into the Macy’s app with a roll-out beginning in April. Macy’s is also scaling to an additional 60 locations a virtual reality furniture pilot, which allows customers to design and experience the interior of a room for which they are purchasing furnishings. The expansion is scheduled to be completed by autumn and will cover a significant portion of Macy’s largest furniture departments.

“Consumers today don’t just adopt technology, they absorb it at a tremendous pace, but they want it to be useful to their needs. Like a lot of brands, we’ve experimented with VR in a number of areas and we’re excited to have found a practical application that has proven to drive sales. In furniture, we are giving our customers a new tool that will allow them to virtually test out home furnishings, helping them make more informed decisions on these important purchases,” says Chairman and CEO, Jeff Gennette.

Further details here.