Online home furnishings retailer delves deeper into AI
Wayfair is streamlining the way its shoppers navigate its vast online catalog as they search for specific looks.
The retailer launched “Search with Photo,” a new feature that leverages artificial intelligence to make it easier for shoppers to find their desired furnishings. Shoppers can now simply snap a photo to find and purchase specific products that match the looks they see and love.
Based on a single image, visual search allows shoppers to quickly and conveniently find matches and similar styles from Wayfair’s selection of more than eight million products. By leveraging AI and other innovative technologies, the company is reinventing the shopping experience, according to Wayfair.
Here’s how it works: Shoppers tap the camera icon in the Wayfair.com search bar, which allows them to snap a photo or upload one from their photo library. Users can then browse visually similar items from Wayfair’s millions of options within seconds. They can make a purchase immediately or add products to an idea board to save for later, or share with others.
“We know that everyone has a unique vision for their home and that ide-as and inspiration can come from anywhere,” said Steve Conine, co-founder and co-chairman, Wayfair.
“While finding a look you love may be easy, finding the specific prod-ucts to bring that look to life can be time-consuming and require a lot of searching,” he said. “With visual search, shoppers can now search for and find a particular product or style instantly. Combining our selection with innovative machine learning techniques, Wayfair lets shoppers bring their unique vision of home to life with convenience.”
Conine describes the solution as the latest tool to help the company achieve its goal of delivering a seamless shopping experience and “mak-ing it easier and quicker to find just the right items for their homes,” he said. “Giving shoppers the ability to search with a photo is just the first of many exciting applications for our computer vision system.”