IKEA Immerse Virtual Reality App

The IKEA Immerse app is available in selected IKEA stores in Germany. This benchmark design application enables consumers to create, experience and share their own configurations in a virtual living and kitchen room set. With its seamless ecommerce integration, a high level of detail and real-time interaction, the VR experience represents an engaging and valuable touchpoint.

A multifunctional use case strategy
The application is a crucial part not only in IKEA’s omnichannel strategy, but also in the digital transformation of its point-of-sales. It is the successor of the 2016 IKEA Virtual Home experience, that has been tried and tested as a prototype application in an IKEA Store in Berlin six days a week for over a year. Based on about 25,000 users, detailed analytics and intensive user studies, Demodern developed the new application iteratively and brought it to market for in-store as well as pop-up, event and home use cases.

Strategically integrated in consumer journey
Not only did Demodern aim to support several touch points, the goal was to deliver rich interaction and a broad range of configuration varieties. Based on this, IKEA Immerse is set up to elevate the brand experience by fostering co-creation and conversion. It is integrated in the consumer journey and core business areas. Customers are enabled to favorite or purchase products on their smartphone. A panorama of their personal room is made available for sharing.

Real-time configuration with immersive storytelling
The extent of freedom that this application offers is unsighted: Hundreds of configurations, options and combinations can be experienced in any daytime situation. This virtual room is never quite the same and invites to play, configure, share and come back again. The IKEA brand experience is elevated by a storytelling concept that makes use of the brand testimonials Jonas and Smilla, guiding users by voiceover during the onboarding as well as throughout the whole experience process.

Modular and flexible Setup
Since a lot of concept work, product design and creative engineering has been put into this software, it was build to ensure a multi-store, eventually international roll-out. The aim was to adapt it locally as well as to provide constant renewable version. Sound effects of IKEA products and apartment sounds were recorded on real locations and in an IKEA store - the outside stereoscopic panoramas were even shot as a timelapse over a whole day.

Relevant and Adaptable Contents
Needless to say, hero contents, accessoires and key contents such as outdoor panorama, SFX, onboarding, storytelling voiceover can be modified for any location and refreshed with a minimum amount of work. The overall built is easy digestable for remote servicing and continious updates in the Oculus Store. Furthermore, an adaptable idle mode on the in-store 2nd screen can be used to vary call to actions and onboardings in store. Whether at the IKEA catalog launch event, in german retail stores or - coming soon - in the Oculus Store: The application is modified for target audiences and use case.

Social Interaction and Takeaways
Focussing on relevance, we sought to create an application without dead ends - enabling interaction within groups of users, shareability and integration into the IKEA sales funnel were key. The In-Store 2nd screen, a shareable room panorama and the transfer of the configuration into the mobile shopping list are the cornerstones of this concept. In what way - and to what extent - these features are used, is helping IKEA to build up further knowledge, how VR will integrate into the realm of interior design, product configuration and personalization. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative analytics are evaluated with the IKEA product owners on a weekly base.