Les virtual universes have been widely used in the gaming world for several years now. Their development is set to revolutionise the customer experience in the medium to long term. Virtual reality technology makes it possible to create increasingly immersive worlds. As virtual reality becomes increasingly popular in the leisure sector (video games, escape games, etc.), it is now also seducing the commercial world by offering an infinite range of concrete projections for customers. But between myth and reality, what can we expect from v-commerce?
Increasingly immersive worlds
First of all, it is important to distinguish between virtual reality and augmented reality. The aim of virtual reality (VR) is to digitally recreate a realistic environment, providing access to educational, collaborative, cultural and now commercial worlds. Augmented reality adds virtual elements to a real environment.
Augmented reality (AR) has already been around for a number of years in games (Pokemon Go, for example). It opens the way to new user experiences. One example is the smartphone application developed in 2017 by IKEA (IKEA Place). This allows users to include objects and furniture from the brand, in 3D, in their own interior to get an idea of how it will look.
Virtual reality, on the other hand, requires the use of a headset (or glasses). The principle is to immerse the user in a realistic virtual world. And in which they can move around and take action in three dimensions.
Today, one or other of these technologies is used primarily for entertainment (games, virtual tours, etc.). But we are also seeing highly successful experiments in the fields of education (scientific visualisation, historical reconstruction, etc.), health (re-education of cognitive functions, immersion therapies, surgical training, etc.) and training.
What is the reality of V-commerce?
V-commerce therefore refers to commerce using virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) to make online sales.
Based on sensory experiences (currently limited to the senses of sight, hearing and sometimes touch, thanks to the use of special gloves), V-commerce aims to provide consumers with an optimised digital experience. This journey replicates that of traditional retailing by eliminating as far as possible the absence of physical contact (showrooming).
The travel constraints associated with the pandemic have not only boosted e-commerce activity, but also undoubtedly increased brand interest in this technology. It is a highly immersive technology, enabling people to evaluate products or services without having to travel.
Technological developments mean that V-commerce will be a reality by 2021.
There are a host of applications: sales support, event creation and in-store traffic generation, showrooming, a new approach to merchandising, training, etc.
A few examples
Visilab has developed a virtual fitting area for glasses. This space provides Internet users with a selection tool to help them make their purchase. The idea is to use the camera on their smartphone or PC screen to map eyewear models onto a photo of their face.
The IKEA brand has developed a application allowing customers to move around a kitchen and interact with certain elements. Retail VR, enables retailers to improve their sales processes using a 3D retail space design tool, or to create immersive shopping experiences.
Benefits for brands
Apart from the obvious appeal of these new technologies, which add a new dimension to the web user's experience and are even addictive because of their edutainment and loyalty-building approach akin to gaming, one of the objectives is to make the customer experience even more immersive and interactive.
The challenge is to create a closer relationship between the Internet user and the brand, which is difficult to achieve with a traditional digital strategy. Allowing customers to test products remotely can significantly increase the conversion rate. In 2020, L'Oréal, for example, increased the number of visits to its website fivefold (compared with 2019) (source CNews.fr). And all thanks to its augmented reality application for testing lipsticks.
An augmented reality proposition is a real added value for a brand. It is a powerful differentiator from the competition. By enabling a concrete projection with less effort, augmented reality responds to two strong customer trends: to be reassured about a product and to buy it more easily.
While augmented reality is clearly of interest in the online shopping experience, physical points of sale are not to be outdone either. Virtual reality is also contributing to a significant improvement in conversion and recommendation rates. Here are just a few examples, Decathlon made VR headsets available in shops in 2017 to test the practicality of Quechua tents.
Metavers, the commerce of tomorrow?
Beyond these technological developments, which oscillate between augmented reality and virtual reality, the technology giants are already thinking further ahead with the metaverse. This is a concept developed by science fiction writer Neal Stephenson back in 1992 in his book The Virtual Samurai. Its name is a catch-all term for meta-universes. And in which Internet users can create an avatar that can move and act in an immersive environment.
Somewhat forgotten at the end of the 2000s, the metaverse is now enjoying a revival. Not least because it is being driven by platforms like Facebook. Indeed, its CEO has just created a new division dedicated to the development of this technology, the Facebook Reality Lab (FRL). It is based, among other things, on Oculus-type VR headsets, which have been owned by the brand since 2014.
According to Mark Zuckerberg, the metaverse is the "The Holy Grail of social interaction and the successor to the mobile Internet". (l'Express - 28/07/2021).
The Second Life case
Second lifeAlthough somewhat forgotten because of the limitations imposed by technology and the emergence of social networks, the Linden Dollar allows Internet users (and especially their avatars!) to travel in a totally immersive world through a variety of thematic universes such as collaborative spaces, shops, cinemas and seminars. The concept also makes it possible to carry out transactions using a virtual currency, the Linden Dollar.
But let's be realistic: it will take some time to overcome the technical and financial constraints involved in building these new digital spaces.
In conclusion, the 'virtuality' market is a real opportunity. And that's despite the fact that it requires real know-how, technology and a great deal of customer education.
Nevertheless, this new technological approach must not overshadow the importance of human contact. For the time being, it is only a complementary tool for understanding the brand.
