Lowe’s Canada has partnered with LG Appliances and Windsor, Ont.-based mobile app company Red Piston Inc. to create 3D flyers that can be viewed by customers on their mobile devices.
“Augmented reality- a technology that uses a combination of real-world and computer-generated data to literally make products pop out of the flyer in three dimension” is being used in the project, according to Lowe’s. A downloadable mobile app enables customers to use camera-enabled iOS or Android smartphones and tablets to take a virtual tour of the selected images.
Three LG Appliances appeared in the Lowe’s flyer delivered to customers May 10. The LG washer, dryer and refrigerator featured were compatible with the app that allows customers to zoom in on specific “hot spots”, or test product features such as opening and closing the doors, pulling out the drawers, and turning on the washer and dryer to see how they work.
“Technology is changing how people shop and the ways in which we interact with our customers,” says Alan Huggins, president of Lowe’s Canada.”Lowe’s is always looking for innovative ways to inspire customers – this new virtual experience allows products on paper to be viewed as though they are within a showroom at home and helps to demonstrate how an appliance would look in the customer’s own kitchen or laundry room.”
Red Piston, a company that specializes in building mobile apps, created the augmented reality application.
“It’s exciting to develop an app that uses technology that customers really haven’t seen much of yet in the Canadian marketplace,” Ali Al-Aasm, co-founder, Red Piston.
Customers can visit www.lowes.ca/FAQ for specific details on how to download the app or to download a printable PDF version of the flyer.