The Metaverse: eCommerce Of The Future
No one thinks about the virtual world as science fiction anymore. It is something that is about to happen and will be at everyone's fingertips. Emerging technologies that we are developing will provide us with new kinds of immersive experiences and will change the way we function, including our shopping habits, for good. Visionary companies already are entering the Metaverse with their offerings. Fashion brands, beauty brands, car brands and large marketplaces like e-commerce giant, Amazon – they're all here now. Still wondering if it's worth joining?
Online Shopping Nowadays
Shopping online no longer seems to surprise anyone. Their growing popularity was accelerated by the events of 2020. For many people it has become a necessity, for others a pleasure. You can choose a small or large online store, enjoy shopping through social media broadcasts, etc.
This online shopping path is very similar to the traditional one, where you enter a store and select physical products from the shelf. You eventually arrive at the store's website, where marketers create content that persuades you to buy, like social proof for example. The brand's activities convince you that this is the store for you. You choose a product, click „buy online” and… everything sounds perfect until you want to interact more closely with the salesperson. Or when you want to view the item in 3D to see what it looks like. Here, a flat image on a monitor and email contact may not be enough.
When there's a lack of interaction with other people, an opportunity to test a product as needed – online shopping becomes an unpleasant, lonely experience. Thanks to Metaverse, that can change.
Bring The Physical World Into Virtual Reality
How will Metaverse affect merchants and customers? Positively! Brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola, and the mentioned e-commerce giant, Amazon – are already experiencing it. So do their first customers in the virtual world!
Metaverse is something new and fresh. If you become a part of it, you start to stand out from other users of the network. You can enjoy multiple products from the exclusive virtual collection, signed with logos of well-known brands, which enable consumers to enjoy an immersive experience.
Immersive Nature Of Virtual Shopping
The virtual world will bring customers an immersive experience of shopping. They will go to the next level, as customers will be able to explore the product in 3D, without having to leave home. With AR and VR headsets, they will see it from all sides. How much easier it will be to purchase home furnishings, for example! In real life, you would have to visit several showrooms to find the furniture of your dreams. And in the Metaverse you choose a model from a product catalog and can touch it, check it, see it or even place it in your living room to make sure if it fits – experience it.
New Way of Empowering Customers
A customer who has been taken care of will leave the store satisfied and eager to share his with others, especially in the virtual space. How do you make him feel appreciated? Stronger?
The key to success is personalization. Tailor your product to your customer's needs and requirements, tailor your services to them. Digital apparel that fits perfectly? Metaverse brings technology that will open new opportunities for merchants selling products.
New Form Of Personalized Experience
The virtual store will not be just a place where you can view the product. That's what boring product pages in 2D are for. Easily accessible augmented reality technology will encourage customers to actively participate in virtual experiences.
In Metaverse, interactions modeled after those in real life will await you, giving a conceivable shopping journey. With advanced product visualization capabilities, you will be able to better evaluate your product. Brands will be able to count on greater customer engagement, which they can coordinate effectively. On its basis, community building will be easier, especially if the brand gets the most passionate fans.
Ecommerce Landscape In Virtual Reality
Experts predict that with augmented reality and VR technologies, companies will not have to choose: physical retail or online store. It is Metaverse that will bring the two trends together.
Companies will be able to sell to customers hyper-personalized experiences in addition to physical products. With personalization, return rates will decrease. With visuals, customers will make better informed purchasing decisions, increasing sales profitability.
What can further affect customer loyalty is that virtual stores will have a global reach. If a customer only wants to purchase non-fungible tokens and not a physical product the purchase will not involve international shipping and customs hassles.
An additional advantage will be the knowledge that digital spaces are safe for transactions, as Blockchain technology ensures that all transactions are recorded and cannot be altered. This will eliminate third-party payment processing, whose services can be expensive and prone to fraud.
You have to admit that such an ecommerce landscape looks very promising!
Virtual Worlds At Your Fingertips
Emerging technologies develop faster than you can imagine. What was once just a dream is becoming a new reality.
We have clients coming to us who see their future in Metaverse. Social media, social commerce – they are a thing of the past. Digital products will conquer the e-commerce market, just as Artificial Intelligence did.
If you also dream big, about creating a customer journey in the Metaverse, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Learn more about our metaverse development services or integration services and… let your journey begin!
