Shower panel specialist Mermaid has partnered with CAD software provider Virtual Worlds to allow retailers to showcase its products in photorealistic 3D.
Mermaid has added its portfolio of products to the Virtual Worlds platform so that retailers can now include their products in their 3D or 4D presentations for customers, allowing them to get a better idea of how they will look in their own bathrooms.
The company also pointed out that this also allows retailers to display a wider range of products than a typical showroom can accommodate.
Commenting on the development, Mermaid national sales manager Keely Greenhalgh said: “Mermaid is thrilled to be joining Virtual Worlds. Offering our versatile range of panelling solutions digitally will allow retailers to provide a greater choice of products to consumers. By visualising in 3D what can be achieved from using the panels, bathroom planning is taken to the next level, opening up a world of design ideas that some may not have even considered possible.”
Greenhalgh added: “The brand’s inclusion in Virtual World’s product catalogue will bring greater exposure to Mermaid and the bathroom panelling category as a whole. When realised in photorealistic 3D or fully immersive 4D virtual reality, even the biggest advocates of bathroom tiles are likely to be swayed by the striking effect panels can create. With an impressive range of styles also on offer, including stone, marble and wood effects, it is even possible to recreate the aesthetic of tiles, if that’s what the consumer desires.”
Virtual Worlds managing director Nathan Maclean also spelt out the benefits: “We’re delighted to welcome the Mermaid brand on board to Virtual Worlds. The partnership enables retailers to easily include these products within their designs, while offering the consumer even more choice and opportunity for creativity when planning their new bathrooms.”
He continued: “Our design technology is playing an increasingly important part in the retail dynamic of the KBB world, providing an immersive planning experience where consumers are able to try before they buy and the constraints of the physical showroom in terms of floor space become a thing of the past. Increasing our manufacturer portfolio with the addition of these brands is an important part of this.”