Experiencing the Future of Retail through Virtual Reality Shopping

Technology has influenced how people shop in the last two decades, but XR (Extended Reality) might take it a lot further in the next few years. XR shopping is a new way of shopping that integrates AR and VR with e-commerce to improve people’s shopping experiences without a mandatory physical presence in the stores. This new way of shopping looks like facing the future of retail through virtual reality.

VR (Virtual Reality) shopping and AR (Augmented Reality) shopping, covered by the umbrella term XR (Extended Reality), are shaping the future of retail on the internet. Retail in today’s world now relies on online solutions that eliminate the need for physical presence in stores, making payment a lot easier, and provide shoppers with various options. E-commerce is easy for shop owners, and shopping gets more convenient for shoppers.

Although at its initial stage, some big names in the global retail industry are already embracing the idea of VR Shopping. For example, Walmart might be looking to introduce this new way of shopping pretty soon. In contrast, Alibaba partially introduced VR shopping as far back as 2017. Likewise, GMetri’s XR platform targets transforming the ways sales reps interact with customers. People have already started implementing this.

Similarly, AR shopping is relatively new. However, many AR shopping apps are available in stores across all mobile platforms already. For instance, you can get your shoe size right in the comfort of your home through NIKE Fit. You can get the perfect furniture for any space in your home by taking a picture using IKEA Place.

Before the start of this decade, it did not look like the majority of online shoppers were eager to use these technologies in shopping. During the series of lockdowns last year due to the pandemic, the retail industry was brought to its knees. There were many weeks that shops had to close down while people had to get used to online shopping.

However, shopping online often limits the fun and experience of the activity. GMetri’s VR and AR shopping metaverse platform represents an excellent solution to this.

Why VR shopping is beneficial to retailers

Undoubtedly, VR shopping can be viewed as an extension of online shopping. It is like jumping from one chapter of a book to another. People shopped by physically appearing at stores and making payments over the counter in the distant past. The story has transformed in recent decades. They can now do their shopping through e-commerce without necessarily visiting the stores. However, the everyday shopping experience, including moving through aisles and getting to touch the products, is removed. VR shopping potentially fills this vacuum.

With VR Shopping, shoppers’ avatars perform their shopping in a virtual replica of a brick-and-mortar store. They interact with other shoppers’ avatars and sales assistants and wander through the aisles as they would in the real world with their carts. They also get to touch the products virtually.

However, the difference here is that the products they procure would be delivered as though you have placed an order from them online. VR shopping is interactive shopping and more experiential than online shopping.

Both AR and VR shopping allows people to interact with products differently. For example, these technologies will undoubtedly give early adopters some form of competitive advantage. People love innovations, especially if they provide real solutions.

Modern-day shoppers will always fancy new ways of interacting with and learning about products. Adding these technologies to retail services will not only boost measurable conversion rates. It will also lead to a significant increase in revenue over time.

Will VR shopping and AR shopping live up to expectations?

There have been numerous radical innovations in the past that eventually flopped. But then, the future of XR shopping is far from being uncertain! Last year, the global pandemic necessitated that people consider newer ways of doing things.

As such, XR presents an opportunity to get used to enjoying shopping without having to go to the stores physically. Everything seems to point to the fact that a substantial chunk of the world population will embrace these new shopping methods in the next few years. You can take engagement over the top by building Gamified Content for Virtual Reality by GMetriXR.

Besides, given that retail is an aspect of our lives that has never ceased to evolve, one cannot but expect that VR and AR shopping will become the ‘thing’ in the future. The value they create is one thing, and the vacuum they fill in times like what was experienced globally last year is another.

If you thought this article was interesting, you might be keen on knowing about Extended Reality in the Fashion Industry. GMetri offers the best XR platform for online stores and physical ones. Start the journey today; you can request a callback here.