Michaels has shifted custom framing from a mainly in-store decision to a digital-first experience. Its new online frame builder uses 3D previews and augmented reality (AR) so U.S. and Canadian shoppers can visualize frames on their own walls, configure materials and finishes, then either complete the order online or finish the piece in-store.
What launched and why it matters
The retailer introduced an advanced online frame builder that accepts photo or art uploads and supports size, matting, glazing and material choices. The tool offers immersive 3D previews and an AR wall-projection feature: shoppers scan a QR code with a mobile device to place the simulated frame in their room in real time.
Alongside the configurator Michaels added more than 200 ready-made frame styles and launched a curated moulding collection in partnership with Condé Nast’s Architectural Digest. Company leadership framed the update as a way to reduce buyer uncertainty and connect digital discovery to physical fulfillment — a core challenge for made-to-order categories.
How the capability reshapes the customer journey
Nicholas Bertram, president and chief operating officer at Michaels, described the change as “making it easier and more inspiring than ever for our customers to bring their visions to life,” positioning the experience to support both quick purchases and bespoke work visualized at home.
Practically, the builder lets customers do most visual decision-making before visiting a store. That closes a common friction point for custom purchases: shoppers who like the idea of something bespoke often hesitate because they can’t picture the finished result. Eric Turney, owner and sales and marketing director at The Monterey Company, told Digital Commerce 360 that AR visualization helps close that confidence gap.
From the retailer standpoint, the configurator converts the website into a pre-sales qualification funnel rather than a separate channel. Kriszta Grenyo, chief operating officer at agency Suff Digital, said these tools let the online channel narrow choices and streamline the in-store interaction — effectively making the web and the physical shop parts of one conversion path.
Context and open questions for practitioners
The framing refresh follows Michaels’ broader digital push. Earlier this year the company rolled out “Ask Mike,” an AI assistant developed with Google, and in 2025 it introduced Michaels Digital Downloads, a subscription service for creative assets. Together, these moves indicate a strategy to monetize both physical products and digital tools.
The announcement leaves several operational and measurement details unspecified. The company did not name the vendor or technology behind the 3D/AR tool, nor did it explain how the builder integrates with point-of-sale, order management or in-store production workflows. Michaels also hasn’t published baseline conversion, adoption or revenue targets for the feature — information that vendors and competitors would use to benchmark results.
Key practical questions for retailers and marketers include: Will AR previews shorten the sales cycle for made-to-order items? Can store teams absorb increased in-store finishing volume generated by online configurators? And how will Michaels attribute conversions when customers configure products online and pick up or finish them in store?
Michaels’ scale in online retail — the company appears in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 and AI rankings — gives this feature visibility. If the tool drives measurable lift, it could reset customer expectations for visualization and customization in adjacent categories such as furniture, custom apparel or framed memorabilia.
What to watch next: adoption and conversion metrics for the configurator, evidence of operational strain or efficiency gains in store finishing, and whether Michaels reveals the technology partner behind the 3D and AR rendering. Those details will determine if the launch is a convenient add-on or a durable advantage in omnichannel fulfillment.
