Joybird is expanding its hybrid retail presence with the launch of a 3D Space Planner Mobile Experience, the online furniture brand announced Tuesday (Jan. 28). Owned by La-Z-Boy, Joybird partnered with 3D Cloud to develop the augmented reality (AR) tool.
The Joybird AR tool allows shoppers and designers to visualize, create, and share room designs from their smartphones.
La-Z-Boy acquired Joybird, which specializes in upholstered furniture, in 2018. La-Z-Boy is No. 250 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 Database, which ranks North America’s top online retailers by annual web sales. Digital Commerce 360 projects that La-Z-Boy’s online sales will reach $343.82 million in 2025.
La-Z-Boy web sales by year
Joybird’s new AR tool for mobile devices
At least 70% of Joybird’s web traffic comes from mobile devices, according to Gerardo Ornelas, the brand’s vice president and general manager. Recognizing the trend, Joybird seized on the opportunity to better serve its online shoppers with the new mobile functionality, he said.
“Our mission was to make mobile furniture shopping as intuitive and rich as in our showrooms,” Ornelas said in the announcement. “The goal is to meet our customers where they are and instill confidence in purchases.”
Building on Joybird’s mobile experience
The new 3D Space Planner for mobile builds upon Joybird’s existing desktop design tool, making it accessible to shoppers on the go. The company described the update as a “simplified yet fully immersive experience,” noting that it uses a new texture format to reduce file sizes and improve load times without sacrificing image quality.
“For customers who’ve previously expressed frustration at the lack of a mobile option, this update provides a practical and accessible solution,” the company said.
Real-time collaboration is a key part of the upgrade. According to Joybird, shoppers and interior designers can now share room designs with showroom associates, linking the brand’s digital and in-store shopping channels.
How Joybird’s WebAR features work
Joybird has also added Web-based Augmented Reality (WebAR) functionality to the mobile tool. With the capability, shoppers can overlay 3D models of furniture onto real-world environments. This helps them gauge dimensions, look, and overall fit. Users can explore Joybird’s catalog of customizable furniture — including different colors, materials and styles — directly from their smartphones.
“This mobile update is a pivotal first step in bringing full design functionality to mobile, allowing a dynamic, collaborative experience right at our customers’ fingertips,” Ornelas said.
In addition to the 3D Space Planner, Joybird offers other Free Design Services on its website. These include:
- Room Scanner. Enables customers to scan a room, measure dimensions, and generate a custom floor plan. This feature is integrated into the 3D Space Planner.
- Modular Sofa Builder. The tool lets shoppers mix and match components to customize sofas, loveseats, and more.
Furniture retailers’ interest in AI and AR
Joybird’s focus on immersive design tools aligns with broader industry trends.
As more consumers shop for furniture online, technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), AR and virtual reality (VR) are making it easier for them to visualize products in their homes and compare options.
Several major retailers are investing heavily in these digital capabilities. Wayfair launched Decorify, an AI-powered home decorating tool that’s now available on the Apple Vision Pro headset. The app helps users redesign their spaces with Wayfair’s product catalog.
Lowe’s introduced Style Studio, a VR tool for kitchen remodels. The experience, also available on Apple Vision Pro, allows customers to adjust layouts, materials, and fixtures. Meanwhile, Ikea’s Kreativ tool lets shoppers place furniture and décor in virtual versions of their own spaces.
Wayfair sits at No. 10 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 Database, followed by Lowe’s at No. 11. Ikea holds the No. 7 spot in the Europe Database, Digital Commerce 360’s ranking of the largest online retailers in the region.
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