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Shop Virtually With Wayfair’s Generative AI Decorify
Wayfair has entered the generative AI world of retail by introducing a free, web-based application, Decorify, which “creates shoppable, photorealistic images to enable consumers to envision their own homes in new styles.”
It all starts after the user uploads an image of their space so they can begin customizing it using generative AI tools. There’s no actual app to download — rather, customers can access Decorify openly at any time. Currently, the only default space users can try out is a living room, but Wayfair plans to release other rooms in the future. Starting with thematic styles, the user can choose from options like:
- Bohemian
- Industrial
- Mid-century modern
- Farmhouse
- Rustic
- Glam
- Traditional
Following that, Decorify will create images of the user’s space redesigned with generative AI technology to match the chosen thematic styles along with other selected options, such as whether to keep the layout the same or change it up.
In the initial press release, Wayfair explained how Decorify users can:
- Upload unlimited photos and delete them at any time
- Shop across a vast selection of Wayfair’s catalog right from their reimagined virtual room
- Use the application on their mobile device or desktop via a web browser
Upon Decorify’s initial launch, The Verge reported that the new app is far from perfect, stating that “Wayfair uses an AI model to create new imagery, so it’s going to show you weird reflections on curtains, plants sitting on day beds, and furniture that doesn’t quite make sense, and it might just decide your room is twice the size it actually is.”
In other words, this is not an AR app that lets you drop CGI representations of different furniture pieces into your room while viewing it through your camera. Instead, the application uses new and revised images generated from a computer vision model that’s trained on Wayfair’s product catalog.
The Verge also interviewed the company and shared that Shrenik Sadalgi, R&D director at Wayfair, explained how they plan to fine-tune Decorify’s model in the future by adding “proprietary branding data” so the designs it creates will have more “1:1 matches of Wayfair products,” allowing them plenty of room for future improvements.
TechCrunch shared how Decorify is like “REimagineHome, an app that similarly taps generative AI to restyle images of spaces. Interior AI is another along those same lines. What Wayfair brings to the table, then, isn’t novel technology necessarily, but the might of its brand and massive online inventory.”
Although the application didn’t always work as intended for the TechCrunch user, the report shares how “Wayfair’s embrace of generative AI comes as other platforms look to apply the tech to e-commerce, where — like Wayfair — they hope it’ll drive sales.”
Discussion Questions
Do you think Wayfair’s new application will help the company achieve more sales, and if so, by how much? Should every retail brand use generative AI software experiences for their products or services?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
John Lietsch
Chief Operating Officer, Bloo Kanoo
Brian Numainville
Principal, The Feedback Group
I tried Decorify some time ago and found that it works OK, even if it is a little gimmicky. AI does tend to do annoying things like move the position of windows (something that would require major remodeling, not simple redecorating). I also found that it’s not very innovative and usually just suggests different items to replace those that are already in the picture of your room. However, it is good for seeing new styles and getting new ideas in a basic way. But a professional interior designer it is certainly not!
Wayfair’s Decorify site is still in beta and not even linked from their main site, so I’m guessing they’re still trying to get the kinks out. Search on “decorify” on the Wayfair site and you’re offered a Bissell Tabletop Air Purifier and some wall decor items. But even with the beta site, it’s clear that there will be some privacy concerns from shoppers. Signing in with an email is required, and not everyone will want to have photos of their shabby old living room online. During this test phase, they should turn that off and capture as much info about the UX as possible, then require sign-on and see what percentage will still want to use the tool.
That being said, I do believe that as the app matures, it will generate more sales. It is, as others have said, a bit gimmicky and glitchy right now, but we are still in the early days of AR and GenAI for this type of tool. Wayfair has chosen to use the do it/fix it model, and that’s probably a good approach for them. To leverage an old quote, a good plan executed today is better than a great one tomorrow. All retailers should at least be trying to understand AR and AI trends and see how they might fit in with their brands.
I don’t think Wayfair’s new application will help it move the needle very much. In my opinion, this is an example of how not to implement GAI. If Apple and others have taught us anything, it’s that the mass market doesn’t tolerate “glitchiness” so Wayfair’s new application could have the opposite effect and turn-off new customers. Loyal customers and geeks (aka early adopters) like myself might tolerate the errors so there’s a chance for higher AOV if GAI can offer “design” suggestions. However, at this stage of the game, I don’t think this is the right application for Wayfair and I don’t think that other retailers should jump on this poorly built bandwagon. GAI is an incredibly useful tool but it’s not everything it’s hyped up to be. I’d like to see retailers continue to perfect the use of augmented reality and leverage existing and new ecommerce technologies to approximate or mimic what Wayfair is attempting to do with GAI.
The name of the game today is experimentation. Although this may need work to be more usable and innovative, it’s a first step. Organizations must try things, even if not all work out over the long haul, when it comes to GAI. I’ll give them credit for moving forward on this idea and it will be interesting to see how/if it evolves.
I just tried it out. Our poll shows 80% will not even try it. How can you offer a legitimate opinion here without trying? My key takeaways.
Agreed!
Buying (in particular large and more expensive) products online is risky. Returns are particularly expensive to handle as well. Anything that reduces risk and returns is a welcome initiative.
Generative AI is already being used in so many applications, from glasses, and cars, to clothing. It is very seamless and only needs to be pointed out to the consumer to realize that it is when it is not being used, that we should be aware of, rather than if it is being used.
While experiments are critical to moving forward, the GenAI app here is more application of a current day vision of what GenAI can do. It’s great that Wayfair is testing it out, but the next generation vision where the tool redesigns and renovates based on impact to the home value, in-room functionality and preferences across your entire family will be a higher threshold than just item replacement. When the tool can match the focus of a real interior designer, it will move up a notch. This is not for commerce yet, but more for room ideation. We’ll see change once they have a ‘pro’ version that designers are clamoring to use.