Alibaba has come up with an interesting way of promoting their Singles Day event these past two years. Last year, the retail giant experimented with VR technology for the first time. This year, the company improved upon this concept, which is pretty interesting to keep an eye on. While last year’s VR shopping platform saw very little interest, that certainly changed in spectacular fashion for this year. The upgrades were well received by the community as well, which indicates a bright future may be ahead.
Alibaba Envisions a Bright Future for VR Shopping
To most people, it makes little to no sense to go online shopping in virtual reality. At the same time, one has to acknowledge the potential such a venture brings to the table. Especially when it comes to buying items for one’s home, or even clothing, there is a bright future ahead for VR shopping. Being able to see items in their actual form before making a purchase is pretty significant. Alibaba acknowledged there would be a big demand for such features, which is why they improved the Buy+ VR platform for 2017’s Singles Day.
As most people know by now, this event is the counterpart of Valentine’s Day in Asia. Special discounts for single people deserve equally as much attention as Valentine’s Day. It is also a great period to experiment with some new technologies, such as introducing VR shopping. Alibaba’s Buy+ platform offered products from six different retailers. Virtual malls were “erected” to make it appear like a genuine shopping experience. It was a great way of exploring virtual reality, regardless of making a purchase.
However, this experience was not just about shopping either. Alibaba customers could also play an augmented reality game to follow a cartoon cat around. Doing so allowed the customers to unlock virtual items which could be paid for with real money. It is evident Alibaba has been actively experimenting with different ideas and solutions in this regard, How all of this will shape up for next year’s Singles Day, remains to be determined. The number of possibilities is virtually limitless when it comes to virtual reality, that much is evident.
Stores and brands would be wise to explore VR technology in the future. Not only can this technology create a stronger bond between consumer and brands, but it will also boost overall sales figures. At the same time, it may make most “real’ stores obsolete as companies invest more in storage locations for all of their merchandise. There is always a trade-off when it comes to innovative technologies in the retail sector, although no one knows for sure how all of this will play out exactly.
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