How Virtual Shopping Is Humanizing The Digital Experience?
Whether we’re talking about IKEA or Alibaba, how do we think of virtual shopping? We’ll explore the reality of virtual shopping in this article. Next, we’ll take a walk through a virtual mall – Alibaba! – to learn about its impact on the retail industry. Then, we’ll discuss Alibaba’s virtual mall and Buy+!’s virtual associates. These omnipresent digital associates can follow up with a customer via WhatsApp, ask if the purchase is going well, and even provide care tips on how to use the product. All these things make virtual shopping a highly personal experience for customers. Read this article provided by Massive Dynamics to understand what Virtual Shopping really is and what it holds in the future.

What Is Virtual Shopping?
For retailers, the answer to the question “What is virtual shopping?” lies in the power of real-time interactions with customers. With virtual tools, brands can personalize the experience by giving shoppers information about availability, fit, and service. As a result, the retail landscape has changed and virtual shopping has emerged as a key part of this evolution. It helps brands stand out from competitors by giving them an edge over their competition. Here’s how virtual shopping can improve your online experience:
A good virtual shopping solution enables retailers to monitor the performance of products and categories. For example, if your store has a virtual associate, you can use WhatsApp to follow up with them. For example, a virtual associate can ask how a deciding customer is enjoying their new purchase. A virtual associate can even give instructions on how to care for products. With virtual shopping, consumers can get a personalized experience, and that’s a great way to build brand loyalty.
Using this technology, retail associates can engage with online shoppers through chat or video. They can answer questions, view products, and receive recommendations for purchases. This transforms them into omnichannel sales associates. Virtual shopping allows consumers to interact with experts in any department, in any location. The best part? It’s free. And it makes shopping easier for everyone. So, the next time you are looking for something, take your virtual shopping experience to the next level.
What is virtual shopping? A virtual shopping experience is a digital replica of a real-world store. In addition to being able to view products, users can interact with salespeople through an avatar. It’s easy to imagine what you could purchase in a virtual store! You can browse products and find great prices all year round. There’s a virtual store for everything, from clothing to toys to electronics. This technology has the potential to change the way consumers shop in the future.
Consumers are increasingly adopting immersive technology for their shopping experience, and this technology is one of the newest trends in retail. 56% of companies are implementing mobile AR/VR technology to give customers a more personalized experience. The future of virtual shopping is fueled by younger shoppers. Millennials and Gen Zers are already raving about the benefits of virtual shopping. More than 75% of Gen Zers have bought a virtual item within a video game.
The Reality Of Virtual Shopping
Virtual channels are now being operated by customer service representatives and contact center agents, creating a seamless experience that combines the benefits of a real store with the benefits of a virtual one. Virtual shopping has been gaining popularity for several years, and the COVID 19 pandemic was a big factor in its rise. Lockdowns around the world have increased online shopping levels. Approximately 75% of UK consumers say they will do more online shopping between 2020 and 2021.
The eCommerce industry has grown at unprecedented rates for the past decade, spurred by the worldwide pandemic. Faster internet and better logistics have enabled e-commerce to expand dramatically. Next-day delivery guarantees are also becoming a reality. However, despite shows that nearly 70% of online shoppers abandon their carts. To prev despite all these advancements, eCommerce businesses are looking for new ways to improve their customer experience and convert more visitors into paying customers. VR is one such technology.
The importance of humanizing the digital experience cannot be underestimated. It is imperative to ensure that shoppers are happy with the experience, or else they will never come back. According to Ipsos’ research, customer experience is driven by six main factors. Three of those are convenience, enjoyment, and certainty, while three other factors include belonging, status, and social connection. By understanding the underlying reasons behind this behavior, brands can provide better experiences.
In addition to enhancing the digital experience, virtual stores also allow customers to interact with associates one-on-one. Through virtual stores, customers can view products, ask questions, and get recommendations from associates. By blending the best of both worlds, virtual stores are revolutionizing consumer shopping. Customers will no longer be restricted by distance and time – they can shop anywhere and anytime. It’s like having a real store in their home.
Fortunately, virtual technology is not the end of the world. Many businesses are adapting to the new demands of the hyper-connected world. The future of retail is focused on the human-digital customer relationship. Increasing data collection and the resulting insights will provide a human-like experience. And this means more data is better than ever for companies and brands. The challenge lies in understanding the human-digital experience.
The Virtual Mall: Alibaba and Buy+
With the launch of its new virtual reality shopping app, Alibaba and Buy+ are redefining the online shopping experience by bringing it to life. A simple cardboard VR headset and a smartphone combo are all that’s needed to enjoy the virtual experience. For a mere 15 cents, users can browse products, view virtual models, and more. In the same way, physical stores can offer a more personal shopping experience to consumers.
Alibaba is the world’s largest retailer and recently launched a virtual mall ahead of Singles’ Day in China. To promote the event, Alibaba produced 150,000 cardboard headsets that were sold for 15 cents each on Taobao. As of Thursday, the app had been downloaded more than 8 million times. The virtual mall also enables brands that don’t have physical stores in some markets to sell products to a broader audience.
Alibaba’s virtual mall is a novel idea. Customers can browse 3D images of products and make payments in real-time. The technology enables customers to browse products in a virtual mall without having to leave their seats. Alibaba also hopes to bring VR shopping to other locations through its AR app, enabling customers to browse more products at the same time. The virtual mall has a few advantages and will be more successful as it grows.
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A Walk Through IKEA
The Swedish furniture giant IKEA is a great example of a company embracing virtual reality and making it part of the in-store experience. The Swedish brand has been in business for nearly 70 years and its designs and products are renowned for their compelling Swedish appeal. Their domain-changing storage ideas are an example of how digital experiences can enhance the in-store experience. By humanizing the experience, IKEA is empowering customers to make their in-store purchases from the comfort of their homes.
The company has also embraced augmented reality for its stores, such as in Kate Spade stores, where shoppers can personalize handbags and view styling options. At IKEA, consumers can use their phone camera to upload a picture of a room they’re remodeling, and then insert furniture pieces from the IKEA catalog into the virtual space. The app also allows consumers to try out different styles and combinations of furniture and determine which ones will look best in their home. In this way, augmented reality offers access and convenience, but lacks social presence.
We hope you got a pretty good idea of Virtual Shopping still if you have any questions feel free to visit Massive Dynamics and ask your queries from our experts.