Try Before You Buy, digitally: The AR Technology Transforming Home Furniture Shopping

Buying furniture online can be tricky and tiresome. Even with photographs and measurements, it’s hard to imagine how a couch or table will actually look in your place. To solve this problem, many retailers are turning to Augmented Reality (AR), a technology which allows shoppers see digital models of furniture in their real-world spaces using just a phone or tablet.

One professional who has greatly assisted in the development of such a successful application is Varun Reddy, an Android Tech Lead. He has been a key contributor to the AR feature of Ashley Furniture App, which has made strong progress in thearea. Reddy helped bring the idea of AR to life and make it work smoothly across devices. The app’s AR tool lets customers place virtual furniture in their homes, helping them check how it fits and looks before buying. This simple idea has a big impact—especially at a time when more people are shopping from home.

As Reddy highlighted, the development was about more than just adding a new feature. It also had to ensurethat the experience was fast, realistic, and worked for as many users as possible. This meant building a strong foundation using Android’s AR core and a modular system that allowed different teams—like design and 3D modeling—to work together easily. It also required ensuring that the tool worked well on a wide range of phones, even the less powerful ones.

Since launching, the AR feature has made a real difference. App store ratings for this application went up, with many users mentioning the AR feature in their reviews. Customers started spending more time on the app, and internal data showed a boost in purchases on products where AR was used.“This has significantly boosted user experience, especially during the covid time,” Reddy stated. “Notably, when the feature was temporarily paused, internal tracking reflected a noticeable decline in key performance indicators — reaffirming its direct value to the business.”

One of the biggest benefits for customers has been confidence. People can now better understand if a piece of furniture fits their space—both in size and style. This has helped reduce the chances of buyers returning items, a common problem in online furniture shopping.

However, during this work, the professional faced several tough challenges. He shared, “I tackled device fragmentation across the Android ecosystem by implementing fallbackmechanisms that ensured consistent performance, even on unsupported or low-end devices. I resolved complex issues around real-world scaling and anchoring of 3D furniture models, enhancing realism and customer trust.”On top of that, he designed a simple onboarding process so users could start using the AR feature without any confusion.

Beyond this project, he has been exploring other uses for AR, such as in fashion retail. A prototype for AR-based footwear shopping is already in the works. He has also shared best practices with other developers and helped guide product decisions by connecting technical choices with user experience and business goals.

From a broader industry perspective, AR is starting to play a bigger role in online shopping. It’s no longer seen as just a fun extra—it’s becoming a key part of how people shop, especially in categories like furniture, where size and style matter so much. More brands are investing in AR to stay competitive and meet the expectations of digital-first shoppers.

Looking ahead, the future of AR in retail could include even smarter experiences powered by AI—like tools that understand your room layout or make product suggestions based on your style. But for now, giving customers a chance to “try before they buy” from the comfort of home is already a game-changer.