How many times have you bought something that seemed promising, but after buying it, your experience differed from what you expected? In the metaverse, those experiences can be changed before the purchase; we’ll you how in this blog.
The metaverse is an integral part of the shopping experience for many consumers. With the help of virtual and augmented reality technologies, companies are creating immersive experiences that allow shoppers to see, feel, and try products before purchasing. These virtual experiences are improving how consumers make purchasing decisions, benefiting both shoppers and businesses.
Oftentimes consumers rely on online product images and descriptions to shop online. However, these images can be misleading, and the descriptions must be more comprehensive to properly evaluate a product. In addition, consumers need the opportunity to see or try the product before making a purchase, which can increase the risk of an unsatisfactory shopping experience.
With the metaverse, shoppers can have an immersive experience where they can see and feel the product in a virtual environment or their own home before purchasing. For example, a shopper can use a virtual reality headset to “walk” into a store, walk the aisles, look at the shelves, and view the products. In addition, the shopper can interact with products and try them out in a virtual environment before making a purchase and request changes based on the experience for more personalized products.
These immersive environments enhance the shopping experience for consumers in several ways. First, consumers can make more informed purchasing decisions. By seeing and testing products in a virtual environment, consumers better understand how the product will look and perform in the real world. This reduces the risk of buying a product that does not meet their expectations.
By allowing consumers to try products in a virtual environment, companies can reduce the number of returned products and increase the sales conversion rate. This form of shopping improves customer retention and satisfaction, which can lead to repeat sales.
Using the metaverse to enhance the shopping experience is an increasingly popular trend among leading brands in different sectors. Here are some examples of brands that are using immersive metaverse experiences to let shoppers try products before they buy them:
IKEA
Swedish furniture brand IKEA has launched an augmented reality app that allows shoppers to see how furniture would look in their homes before making a purchase. The app uses augmented reality technology to overlay images of furniture in the user’s home.
L’Oréal
Beauty products brand L’Oréal has created a virtual reality experience that allows shoppers to try different makeup products. The experience uses a virtual reality headset that lets shoppers see how different makeup products look on their skin.
Nike
Nike has launched a virtual reality experience allowing shoppers to customize and try different sneaker designs. The experience uses a virtual reality headset that allows shoppers to see how the sneakers look on their feet and try different color and material combinations.
Sephora
Leading beauty retailer Sephora has created an augmented reality experience that allows shoppers to try different makeup products online. The experience uses augmented reality technology to overlay different makeup products on the user’s face. Since Sephora implemented this technology, its conversion rates have increased by 2.5% compared to customers who did not use the tool.
Mercedes-Benz
Automotive brand Mercedes-Benz has launched an augmented reality app that allows shoppers to see what a car would look like in their garage before making a purchase. The app uses augmented reality technology to superimpose images of the car on the user’s surroundings.
All these brands work in different niches and industries. However, they use the same tool within their shopping experience: the metaverse and virtual reality; with this combination, consumers not only buy, but they also buy better.