Virtual Stores for the Gaming Development Industry

Gaming companies are constantly seeking innovative strategies to cut through the marketplace noise and effectively reach their target audience. Traditional online gaming stores, with their static user interface, often leave users without much to consume or to interact with; immersive 3D environments transform game discovery by letting gamers explore endless content, interact with games prior to purchase and engage in game-centric activities, challenges and discussions.

Virtual stores offer gaming companies a way to incorporate extensive game-related content into their marketing and storytelling. Companies can construct interactive displays to reveal developer insights, character backgrounds and intricate storyline details. 

Virtual gaming experiences present a unique opportunity for game development companies to deliver exclusive content. Game developers can tease their audience with sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes footage or even early access to certain levels or characters; generating gamer interest and building attachment, leading to increased sales over time.

This contextualization deepens the connection between gamers and their selected games. Users are empowered with the freedom to delve into game-worlds, preview scenarios, purchase merchandise and more, facilitating an engaging gaming journey.

To learn more about how Obsess virtual stores can be used to enhance your brand’s relationship with your gamers, contact our team at contact@obsessVR.com or book a demo.

Virtual Stores for the Consumer Electronics Industry

In the rapidly evolving landscape of global e-commerce, consumer electronics companies are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out from the competition and capture the attention of tech-savvy consumers. One such solution that has emerged as a game-changer is the concept of virtual stores. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, consumer tech brands can create dedicated brand showrooms and virtual flagships that offer immersive and engaging experiences to customers. 

1. Immersive Brand Showrooms

Virtual store technology allows consumer tech brands to create highly interactive and immersive brand showrooms that replicate the essence of their brand. By utilizing advanced features and designs, these virtual showrooms can showcase key products in a visually stunning and captivating environment. With the ability to drive consumer education and engagement, virtual stores provide an ideal platform for brands to highlight their product features, demonstrate functionalities and create a lasting impression on potential buyers.

2. Internal Training and Product Launches

Consumer electronics companies can also utilize virtual store technology for internal purposes, such as training team members on new products or conducting product launches. Virtual stores provide a cost-effective and efficient solution for disseminating knowledge and educating employees. With the ability to amplify content for education, brands can ensure that their workforce is well-equipped to provide exceptional customer support and technical assistance. Additionally, virtual stores enable consumer electronic companies to extend their educational initiatives to end consumers, further enhancing brand credibility and customer satisfaction.

3. Cost Savings and Global Reach

One of the most significant advantages of virtual stores for consumer electronics companies is the ability to maximize cost savings. By eliminating the need for physical infrastructure, rent and staffing costs associated with physical conferences and showrooms, brands can significantly reduce operational expenses. Moreover, virtual stores offer a wider global reach, enabling companies to break geographical barriers and tap into new markets. This expansion opens up immense growth opportunities for consumer tech brands and allows them to connect with a diverse customer base from around the world.

In the highly competitive world of consumer electronics, virtual electronics stores have emerged as a necessity for brands seeking to differentiate themselves and create unforgettable brand experiences. With their ability to provide immersive showrooms, drive engagement, offer cost-effective technical support and expand global reach, virtual stores empower consumer electronics companies to thrive in the digital era. By embracing this innovative technology, brands can captivate their audience, foster brand loyalty and stay ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce.

To learn more about how Obsess virtual stores can be used to transform your brand’s presence and unlock new opportunities in the digital realm, contact our team at contact@obsessVR.com or book a demo.

Virtual Stores for the Home Appliance Industry

In today’s fast-paced world, where convenience and innovation are paramount, Home Appliance brands face the challenge of providing customers with an immersive and seamless shopping experience. That’s where the Obsess virtual store platform comes in, revolutionizing the way people shop for appliances and transforming the industry as we know it.

With the Obsess virtual store platform, Home Appliance brands can now offer their customers a truly interactive and immersive 3D shopping environment. Gone are the days of static product descriptions and limited visuals. Our platform empowers customers to explore a wide range of appliances, evaluate their features and functionalities, and visualize how they will fit into their homes or storefronts, all from the comfort of their own screens.

Imagine being able to try out appliances virtually, interact with them to learn more about their functions and efficiencies, and watch videos showcasing their capabilities in action. The Obsess virtual store platform brings these possibilities to life, bridging the gap between physical and online shopping. Customers can now make informed decisions, confident that the appliances they choose are a perfect fit for their needs.

Obsess Virtual Store Platform for Home and Appliance Brands

But the benefits of the Obsess virtual store platform don’t stop there. We understand that shopping is a social experience, and our platform reflects that. With our innovative features, customers can invite friends, family members, or colleagues to join their shopping journey. Collaborate, gather opinions, and make decisions together in real-time. It’s a truly engaging and interactive experience that enhances the overall satisfaction of the shopping process.

We’ve also incorporated gamification into the platform, adding an element of discoverability and interactivity to the shopping experience. Customers can participate in guided quizzes to test their knowledge and set themselves up for success. And for those who enjoy a challenge, themed virtual scavenger hunts—like collecting glowing electricity bolts throughout an electrical appliance virtual store—unlocks enticing incentives and makes the shopping journey even more rewarding for consumers.

Example of kitchen appliance mixer in an Obsess virtual store

Our platform equips all appliance virtual stores with a wealth of resources to support customers in their appliance shopping journey. Whether it’s information on installation, maintenance, or support, customers can access comprehensive guides and live chat integration for guided shopping. We aim to provide the ultimate convenience and assistance to ensure a seamless and satisfying experience for every customer.

When customers are ready to make a purchase, the Obsess virtual store platform offers a seamless checkout process via e-commerce integration.

Virtual commercial kitchen with appliances for sale through Obsess virtual store platform

So, if you’re a Home Appliance brand looking to transform the way your customers shop, it’s time to explore the possibilities offered by the Obsess virtual store platform. Embrace the future of Home Appliance shopping today and provide your customers with an unparalleled experience that will set your brand apart from the competition.

Book a demo to learn more about the Obsess virtual store platform and unlock a world of endless possibilities for your appliance business.

Virtual Stores for the Automotive Industry

Virtual car showrooms have revolutionized the way we shop for cars, offering an immersive and educational buying journey. Through advanced visualizations, comprehensive information and personalized guidance, consumers can explore and select their dream car while avoiding the traditional high-pressure sales tactics. By the time buyers schedule an in-person test drive, they are already equipped with knowledge and confidence, leading to a more rewarding and efficient car-buying experience. Empower your shoppers to discover, explore and select their dream car at their own pace, from anywhere in the world with Obsess virtual showrooms for automotive brands.

1. Embrace Immersion

Virtual car showrooms provide a visually captivating and interactive experience that transports potential buyers into a virtual automotive wonderland. With high-quality 3D models, realistic animations and detailed visualizations, consumers can explore every angle and detail of their desired car, as if they were physically present at a dealership. From the exterior design to the interior features, buyers can visualize their future car in stunning detail, creating a strong emotional connection before making any commitments.

2. Education at Your Fingertips

One of the key advantages of virtual showrooms is the wealth of information readily available to consumers. Instead of relying solely on salespeople and printed brochures for product knowledge, buyers can digitally access comprehensive details about each car’s specifications, features and performance. Virtual showrooms will include informative pop-ups, videos and interactive elements that provide valuable insights. This immersive yet educational experience ensures that shoppers are well-informed about the cars they are considering, and empowers consumers to make educated decisions based on their preferences and needs.

3. Personalized Guidance

Virtual car showrooms also offer personalized guidance, tailored to individual preferences. Intelligent chatbots and virtual assistants can interact with consumers, answering questions, providing recommendations and guiding them through the car selection process. By understanding the buyer’s requirements and preferences, these virtual assistants can suggest suitable models, compare different options and help users narrow down their choices. The result is a hyper-personalized and efficient shopping experience.

4. Stress-Free Decision Making

Virtual showrooms alleviate the stress often associated with the traditional car-buying process by empowering buyers to explore at their own pace. Buyers can take their time with various models, comparing features and envisioning themselves behind the wheel. Without the pressure of an eager salesperson pushing for a quick sale, consumers can make decisions with clarity and confidence. This relaxed atmosphere fosters a positive buying experience, ensuring that buyers feel empowered and satisfied with their choices.

5. Convenient Test Drive Scheduling

Once buyers have thoroughly explored their desired car virtually, the next step is scheduling an in-person test drive. Virtual showrooms simplify this process by integrating with the dealership’s booking systems. With a few clicks, users can select a convenient time slot and book their test drive, minimizing the hassle of coordinating schedules over the phone or in person. By the time buyers arrive for their test drive, they are already well-acquainted with the car, making the experience more focused and productive.

To learn more about how Obsess virtual stores can be used in the car buying journey, and empower your consumers through increased education, contact our team at contact@obsessVR.com or book a demo.

Virtual Stores for the Sporting Goods Industry

Obsess is enabling sports equipment brands and retailers to create immersive shopping experiences that provide comprehensive resources and information to educate customers about their products and the sport. With engaging videos, tutorials and expert advice, sporting goods brands are able to immerse their shoppers in their respective sport like a pro. 

Virtualize Your Sporting Goods Retail Store

Specialized Bicycle Components created a shoppable, virtualized retail version of their IRL Chicago store. The virtual store mirrors the Chicago location, but contains additional interactive features such as promotional videos, a community wall, special events calendar and more, for online shoppers to engage with anywhere in the world. 

Specialized bikes virtual store

From helmets and shoulder pads to gloves and cleats, virtual sporting goods stores carry a wide range of equipment for a diverse selection of sports at your fingertips. Virtual stores are able to connect with a multitude of retailers so sports brands’ customers can find their products on a variety of sites. Whether your shoppers are seasoned players or just starting out, they are able to find exactly what they need to enhance their performance. 

Engage Sporting Goods Consumers with a Personalized Experience

Brands and retailers are also able to embed interactive content that is engaging and empowers their consumers to determine what they need. Customers can put their skills to the test with a virtual branded game, get product recommendations fit for their goals with personalized quizzes, host events in sponsorship with professional athletes or host a live streaming event around major sporting events. Obsess virtual stores enable brands to bring professional athletes and various sports personalities into the experience to engage with fans in avatar format or through promotional campaign content. 

Virtual sporting goods stores are interactive experiences with a variety of content and features for sports enthusiasts to enjoy a one-stop-shop experience that combines shopping, learning and interactive fun. 

To learn more about how virtual sporting goods stores are reshaping the sports industry, email us at contact@obsessVR.com or book a demo.

Virtual Store Spotlight: The Crocs Virtual Jibbitz Experience

Obsess Partners with Crocs to Launch New Jibbitz Virtual Store and First-Ever 3D Customizer

Obsess recently collaborated with longtime partner Crocs, the world leader in casual footwear, to unveil a new virtual shopping experience known as the Crocs Jibbitz Experience. This innovative venture is centered around self-expression, personalization, gamification, and education—providing a platform to showcase Crocs’ iconic Jibbitz™ charms. The highlight of this immersive experience is the groundbreaking 3D Jibbitz Customizer, a feature engineered by Obsess that allows consumers to create their own unique pair of Crocs adorned with Jibbitz™ charms, which can be directly purchased within the virtual environment.

Crocs Virtual Jibbitz Customizer for Personalization

The partnership between Obsess and Crocs has flourished over the past year, fostering a shared commitment to innovation and the exploration of virtual technologies. The introduction of the Jibbitz Customizer exemplifies the successful collaboration, offering customers unparalleled creative freedom to personalize their Crocs like never before. Jibbitz™ charms have always been a gateway to self-expression through style, and the advanced virtual customization technology developed by Obsess takes this experience to new heights, making it accessible and infinitely imaginative.

The Jibbitz Experience is the result of Crocs’ third virtual store collaboration with Obsess. This virtual wonderland encompasses five distinct departments, each dedicated to a unique assortment of Jibbitz. From Letters to Food, Animals, and more, there is a realm to cater to every charm lover’s desires. While exploring the experience, visitors can partake in an engaging arcade-style claw machine game, allowing them to collect virtual Jibbitz and even win physical ones for only a penny.

Create custom Crocs with personalized Jibbitz charms through the virtual store.

Embedded within the entire experience is a seamless link to the Jibbitz Customizer. This interactive tool showcases lifelike 3D replicas of Jibbitz™ charms and Crocs in various sizes for both men and women. With the ability to add up to 26 different 3D charms to their selected clog model, customers can curate a truly personalized design. Once the perfect creation is achieved, a straightforward purchasing process enables customers to acquire their customized product. The Jibbitz Customizer plays a pivotal role in educating consumers about the extensive range of Jibbitz™ charms available for purchase, while simultaneously showcasing how to apply and style them on Crocs’ renowned clog product.

Accessible via mobile and desktop web platforms, the Jibbitz Experience beckons fashion enthusiasts and Crocs fans alike. Step into a world where fashion seamlessly intertwines with technology, as Obsess and Crocs redefine self-expression, elevate personal style, and offer an extraordinary shopping adventure.

Virtual Store Spotlight: The American Girl Virtual Museum

American Girl, a beloved toy brand renowned for its iconic dolls and immersive storytelling, has created one of the most engaged and loyal digital fan bases through its Obsess-powered virtual store. This innovative experience allows enthusiasts of all ages to embark on a captivating journey through history, exploring the brand’s rich heritage and fostering imagination. The American Girl virtual museum presents a realm of exciting possibilities for both fans and brands looking to make a splash amongst a new generation of brand loyalists and consumers. 

American Girl has long been celebrated for its commitment to representing different historical eras through its doll collections. With the virtual museum, the brand preserved and showcased these historical narratives in a highly relevant and immersive digital format. By digitizing artifacts, photographs, and interactive exhibits, American Girl offers a unique opportunity for all ages to explore the past with ease and convenience.

Upon entering the virtual museum, visitors are greeted with an immersive and visually captivating environment. The virtual space is designed to resemble a physical museum, complete with beautifully curated exhibits showcasing the dolls, accessories, and stories that have captured the hearts of millions. With a simple click of the floor navigation arrows, visitors can navigate through different eras, uncovering the stories and experiences that shaped each character’s world.

What sets American Girl’s virtual museum apart is its commitment to interactive exhibits and engaging storytelling. Visitors can delve deeper into each historical period, immersing themselves in the lives of the characters and the cultural contexts of their times. Through virtual displays, videos, and interactive games, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, triumphs, and social issues faced by girls throughout history. The content and features in the virtual experience serve to provide engaging education for the American Girl consumer base, building long-term engagement and a strengthened brand connection. 

Possibly the greatest contributing factor to the virtual store’s success is the abundance of games throughout the store. A plethora of games is incorporated throughout the store in a variety of ways to inspire more immersion in the experience. Games like the puppy scavenger hunt, for instance, challenge store visitors to find all the missing puppies hidden throughout the store encouraging more store exploration and interactivity. The different types of games all contributed to the store’s higher time spent add to cart rate—visitors spent 1000% more time in the virtual experience than American Girl’s traditional e-commerce site and demonstrated a 25% higher add to cart ratio after visiting the experience.

Want to create a unique and engaging digital experience that builds brand affinity while delivering rich content your consumers will love? Visit our website to learn more and book a demo to discover our virtual store platform: https://beta.obsessar.com/book-a-demo/

Virtual Store Spotlight: The Ralph Lauren Virtual Experience

Ralph Lauren is one of the longest-running partners of Obsess, with over 24 virtual experiences built to date. Ralph Lauren’s virtual store experiences take customers on a digital journey, blurring the lines between the physical and digital realms. In partnership with Obsess, the brand has created a digital experience that allows shoppers to explore the store from the comfort of their homes. With just a few clicks, customers can step into a virtual boutique that replicates the ambiance, layout, and aesthetics of a physical store—extending the reach of Ralph Lauren’s existing physical brand presence. 

Once inside the virtual store, customers can navigate through different sections and browse a wide range of products just as they would in a physical store. The virtual photographed environment incorporates all the intricate details of Ralph Lauren’s physical stores, creating a truly immersive experience. Shoppers can interact with digital mannequins, inspect product hotspots for a closer look, and visualize how different garments might look IRL before making a purchase.

Ralph Lauren’s virtual store experience seamlessly integrates technology into the shopping process, enhancing convenience and accessibility. Customers can make purchases directly through the virtual store that is integrated with the brand’s e-commerce site. The brand has successfully combined the best of online and in-person shopping.

Some of the virtual stores in the RL Virtual Experiences are the only way to shop online for a particular collection of clothing. Polo Factory Stores (PFS) are outlet stores that can be found around the United States and Canada, but cannot be shopped for via Ralph Lauren’s traditional e-commerce channels. The virtual store brings the in-store shopping experience to the web with a shoppable, 360-degree photographed experience that’s just like the real thing. Ralph Lauren enables any of its consumers to shop the PFS collection as its meant to be experienced—in a discovery-driven and visually-interactive way. 

Ralph Lauren’s virtual store experience is a testament to the limitless possibilities of virtual stores in the fashion industry. As the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve, other brands should embrace virtual stores which have been shown to enhance the online shopping experience for customers and brands alike. The convenience, personalization, and immersive nature of virtual stores are revolutionizing the retail landscape, creating a new era of consumer engagement.

Want to create a virtual experience for your fashion brand? Visit our website to learn more and book a demo to discover our virtual store platform: https://beta.obsessar.com/book-a-demo/

Unleashing the Power of AI in Virtual Stores

In the rapidly expanding realm of global e-commerce, where sales are projected to reach a staggering $6.3 trillion this year with an 8.9% growth rate, retailers and brands are engaged in a fierce battle for market share and customer loyalty (Insider Intelligence, 2023; Forbes Advisor, 2023). To gain a competitive edge and differentiate themselves from competitors, leading companies are embracing immersive virtual commerce experiences. Amidst this transformative landscape, we’ve set out to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize the way consumers shop through our virtual commerce platform.

AI-Powered Virtual Stores

At the core of this retail revolution lies the synergy between AI technology and the widespread popularity of online gaming. We’re leveraging AI to expedite the creation of virtual stores, making the process faster and more cost-effective. By integrating generative AI tools, our platform can now rapidly design virtual stores, slashing setup time from weeks to mere hours in some cases. Moreover, AI elevates and optimizes these experiences through the inclusion of generative content, such as images, text, and music, effectively breathing life into these immersive digital shopping experiences.

Through the adoption of AI-generated imagery in these experiences, retailers can significantly reduce the costs associated with traditional photo shoots and content creation. By eliminating expenses related to human talent, travel, studio and equipment rental, shipping, styling, editing, and other services, brands can allocate their resources more efficiently while still building a compelling immersive experience. 

A prime example of this cost-saving approach is Elizabeth Arden, a renowned beauty brand whose virtual store used AI to complete archival photos featured throughout their virtual store. Obsess used the DALLE-2 platform to edit existing imagery, optimizing the historic content to fit the modern context of a virtual store in an automated way.

AI-Generated Content in Virtual Stores

In addition to image AI platforms, Obsess has also begun to leverage tools like ChatGPT to generate informative product descriptions and scripts for branded avatars that engage with shoppers within the virtual stores. Furthermore, AI-generated music libraries contribute to an immersive auditory experience without the need to pay licensing fees for copyrighted hits.

The true power of AI lies in its ability to enhance the immersive shopping journey by introducing engaging and personalized features that drive session time and customer satisfaction. Obsess customer Babylist, an online baby registry company, created a virtual store that includes an AI-powered baby name generator. By inputting a baby’s due date, the AI algorithm considers a curated set of names of individuals born on that day, presenting the shopper with a personalized list of potential girl, boy, and gender-neutral names based on astrological signs. This unique gamified feature optimizes an important personalization feature in the brand’s virtual store, creating engaging and dynamic content for consumers at a higher efficiency rate.

Looking ahead, the future of virtual commerce promises even more profound AI-driven applications. As AI adoption proliferates, we can expect an explosion in the types, designs, and formats of our virtual stores, leading to further growth in this domain. The emergence of advanced 2D to 3D rendering, and even text to 3D rendering, will empower Obsess to collaborate with more brands to swiftly deploy and test virtual store experiences. These platforms will dynamically render the entire virtual store environments in real-time, providing personalized experiences for each individual consumer.

With AI technology serving as a catalyst for change, Obsess has already made remarkable strides in creating virtual stores that are faster, more cost-effective, engaging, and personalized. As network speeds continue to accelerate and graphics processors become more powerful, the next generation of the internet will be characterized by 3D immersive experiences that closely resemble the real world. In the coming years, every brand with an e-commerce store will undoubtedly embrace a 3D immersive version of its online presence, ensuring a seamless and captivating shopping journey for customers worldwide.

Looking ahead, Obsess will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible within our virtual experiences. We hope to continue to redefine the shopping landscape, offering retailers and brands an unprecedented opportunity to captivate customers and drive exponential growth in the evolving world of e-commerce.
If your brand is interested in launching an engaging virtual store using Generative AI, contact us at contact@obsessvr.com or fill out your information here.

Citations:

Baluch, A. (February 2023), 38 E-Commerce Statistics Of 2023. Forbes Advisor. 
Cramer-Flood, E. (February 2023), Global Retail Ecommerce Forecast 2023: Welcome to the Slower-Growth New Normal. Insider Intelligence.

Virtual Store Spotlight: The Laneige Virtual World

A New Way to Shop Skincare

Laneige, the Korean beauty brand known for its innovative lip masks and skincare products, recently launched a new virtual store powered by Obsess. The store is a dreamy 360 cloudscape, which enables shoppers to explore Laneige’s products and brand story in a fully immersive context.

laneige virtual skincare store by obesss - lip love land

The virtual store is designed to resemble a lush garden, and it features a variety of different rooms — each of which is dedicated to a different Laneige product line. Shoppers can interact with the products in a variety of ways, including viewing products in 3D, and learning about their ingredients and applications through interactive media and tutorials.

Notable Features

The Laneige Virtual World uses a combination of custom and out-of-the box features from the Obsess virtual store platform, including:

laneige virtual skincare store by obsess featuring sydney sweeney

Guided Navigation

Consumers can click through the store map of this cotton candy-colored virtual experience to discover Laneige skincare products for everyday use, and uncover exclusive media content. 

Gamification

The store features a scavenger hunt style game, which encourages users to click through multiple rooms and view points in order to uncover hidden icons. If a user collects all hidden icons, they are rewarded with a gift with purchase.

Photorealism and 360 Video

From the subtle waves of water, to the 360-degree motion of a Lip Sleeping Mask carousel — the Laneige virtual store is punctuated with animations and 360-degree videos that make digital shopping akin to an IRL experience.

Seamless Add To Cart

Obsess integrated with the brand’s e-commerce platform, Shopify, so that shoppers can easily add products to cart and purchase them without having to leave the virtual world.

Marketing Campaign Content

Videos from actress and Laneige campaign ambassador Sydney Sweeney can be found lining the walls of the experience with her own personal testimonials of the products—a treat for fans turned Laneige evangelists.

The Ultimate Customer Engagement Tool

The Laneige Virtual World marries a cult-favorite beauty brand’s whimsical heritage with technological innovation. The result? An always-on brand storytelling channel — designed to increase time spent, interactions and brand loyalty above all else.

laneige virtual store by obsess - waterbank room

“The virtual store is a powerful customer engagement tool that will allow shoppers to dive into Laneige’s unique scientific expertise and entertaining digital content, while also helping them select the right product for their skin needs,” said Julien Bouzitat, Chief Marketing Officer of parent company AmorePacific U.S.

Read more about how Obsess helps beauty brands deepen connections with consumers through virtual stores here: https://beta.obsessar.com/virtual-beauty-stores/.