XPO Logistics, the largest provider of last mile logistics for heavy goods in North America, has announced the planned addition of augmented reality to its Ship XPO consumer self-service platform. Shoppers will use the visualization technology prior to the delivery of heavy goods, such as sofas, beds, and appliances, to determine the ideal placement inside the home.

“Augmented reality is another innovation that our retail and ecommerce customers can offer to consumers, providing more control over the shopping experience,” said Troy Cooper, president of XPO Logistics. “The technology creates a virtual image of how an item will look in a given room, dramatically decreasing the likelihood of returns. Augmented reality enhances the efficiency of the entire last mile process, reducing time inside the home and the risk of product damage.”

XPO expects its visualization technology to be available nationally on Ship XPO later this year. The recent announcement follows the company’s recent addition of voice integration technology to Ship XPO, giving consumers the ability to track their purchases throughout XPO’s last mile network using Amazon Echo or Google Home.

In September 2017, XPO announced a major expansion of its last mile network that will position a total of 85 hubs within approximately 90 percent of the United States population this year. In February 2018, the company announced new last mile operations in five European countries.