Utilizing Augmented Reality as a B2C Marketing Tool in the Furniture Retail Industry
Lindén, Lauri (2019)
Lindén, Lauri
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112322015
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019112322015
Tiivistelmä
This bachelor’s thesis studies the utilization of augmented reality (AR) as a business to consumer marketing tool in the furniture and home accessory retail industry.
The main purpose of this study is to be able to identify forms of augmented reality utilization currently used by market leading companies. In addition, another goal is examining the viewpoint of potential consumers to complement the company findings. The ultimate goal was to learn from the chosen companies and potential customers to be able to provide suggestions for companies in the industry that are not utilizing augmented reality yet.
This research was conducted through mixed research methods. Both desktop research and qualitative interviews hosted after asking volunteer participants to try out IKEA’s mobile AR application were employed. In addition, a quantitative questionnaire targeted at potential consumers was used to complement desktop research findings about market leading companies.
The results of researching market leading companies were that there were two main ways of implementing augmented reality into consumer marketing, both of them through mobile applications. The first option was IKEA’s way to have the AR experience as a main feature of the mobile application. The second option used by Amazon and Houzz was to have the AR experience as a side feature on their mobile applications.
The results of interviews and questionnaire gave information about the awareness and opinions about AR as a technology option. In both respondent groups, there was interest towards the idea of applications of this kind. However, the application test users had issues with IKEA’s mobile application in action, which diminished their interest towards it.
As conclusion, furniture retail companies not yet utilizing AR as a marketing tool should focus on having a mobile application as a basis for implementing AR features. When implementing AR features, the focus should be on the quality of user experience to get the users to return to use the application or feature
The main purpose of this study is to be able to identify forms of augmented reality utilization currently used by market leading companies. In addition, another goal is examining the viewpoint of potential consumers to complement the company findings. The ultimate goal was to learn from the chosen companies and potential customers to be able to provide suggestions for companies in the industry that are not utilizing augmented reality yet.
This research was conducted through mixed research methods. Both desktop research and qualitative interviews hosted after asking volunteer participants to try out IKEA’s mobile AR application were employed. In addition, a quantitative questionnaire targeted at potential consumers was used to complement desktop research findings about market leading companies.
The results of researching market leading companies were that there were two main ways of implementing augmented reality into consumer marketing, both of them through mobile applications. The first option was IKEA’s way to have the AR experience as a main feature of the mobile application. The second option used by Amazon and Houzz was to have the AR experience as a side feature on their mobile applications.
The results of interviews and questionnaire gave information about the awareness and opinions about AR as a technology option. In both respondent groups, there was interest towards the idea of applications of this kind. However, the application test users had issues with IKEA’s mobile application in action, which diminished their interest towards it.
As conclusion, furniture retail companies not yet utilizing AR as a marketing tool should focus on having a mobile application as a basis for implementing AR features. When implementing AR features, the focus should be on the quality of user experience to get the users to return to use the application or feature