Insider Intelligence spoke with Duncan Blair, SVP of marketing, support and sales at Article, about best strategies to convey to customers the “feel” of products and shoppable video.

It’s still early days, but augmented reality is showing real potential for social commerce. Brands can use the technology to improve the experience and help customers make more informed purchase decisions.

US consumers are stocking up on apparel

The pandemic led to unprecedented growth in US ecommerce sales. Even as sales growth returns to somewhat normal levels in 2021, total sales will far exceed our pre-pandemic estimates.

From product-focused creative to augmented reality tools and a proprietary delivery service, furniture seller Article is dedicated to great customer experience every step of the way. Watch Industry Voices with Duncan Blair, vice president of marketing at Article, to learn how its white-glove strategy has introduced consumers to online furniture shopping over the past year.

Furniture is one of the fastest-growing categories in ecommerce today. More consumers have come around to the idea of purchasing furniture online, and new direct-to-consumer (D2C) companies are entering the space, hoping to win market share by streamlining aspects of the customer experience like cost, shipping and installation.

While the use of virtual reality is not yet mainstream among consumers, specialized applications of the technology are proving useful in a variety of industries.