A New Way to Shop: Virtual Stores on Bloomingdales.com
Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Nespresso have created unique online shops that you can virtually tour using your mouse, moving through the setting to encounter different products and click on that you choose to buy.
The online shops have been created by shops by Emperia, a London- and New York-based virtual reality technology developer for the retail and fashion sectors.
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In addition to the new virtual spaces for Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Nespresso, there is a virtual setting encompassing a luxury beauty/spa room, a party room and a gifting presentation.
According to Emperia, its technology allows brands to communicate their “brand stories” within one cohesive experience, which in this case is the Bloomingdale’s online holiday store. Users can transition between brands through “an elevator” located in the store.
The Chanel online store is set on the moon; the Ralph Lauren store depicts a holiday forest experience leading to a ski chalet, and the Nespresso virtual setting depicts a Parisian café.
Emperia said its technology enables retailers to measure product engagement, demographics, stock demand and layout effectiveness, in real-time, and based on data insights.
“Emperia believes that the multibrand virtual experience will become the new department store of the future,” Olga Dogadkina, cofounder and chief executive officer of Emperia, said in a statement. “The virtual environment provides endless opportunities for brand creativity, design and user engagement, breaking barriers of accessibility and physical space limitations — providing a new technology playground for retailers.”
Emperia indicated that it develops virtual stores for the retail, fashion and art sectors that can be extended into the metaverse. Emperia said its client list includes Dior, Burberry, Christie’s, Getty Images and others.
