US-based online retailer of home furnishings Wayfair has launched Patio Playground, a virtual reality application that is available on the Oculus Rift Experiences store.
The application has been developed by Wayfair Next, the company’s in-house research and development team.
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Using Facebook’s Oculus Rift platform, it enables shoppers to immerse themselves in an inspirational landscape, where they can explore, re-arrange, and discover furniture and décor from Wayfair’s catalogue.
Wayfair co-chairman and co-founder Steve Conine said: “At Wayfair, we’re continuously looking for new ways to enhance the online retail experience through technological innovation.
“By combining our advanced first-party 3D scanning and visualisation capabilities with Facebook’s virtual reality headset, the Wayfair Next team has created an interactive and entertaining way for customers to get inspired and browse items for their home.”
By wearing the Oculus Rift headset with an in-hand controller, shoppers are taken to a lakeside scene where they can browse Wayfair’s virtual catalogue to choose outdoor furniture and décor to design the backyard setting.
Wayfair is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and has operations across North America and Europe.
