Virtual Reality is one of the technological advances that is destined to transform the way in which customers and brands interact. Online stores have high potential in VR to offer a better experience to their customers, taking advantage of the sales offered by this technology.

When we talk about Virtual Reality applied to eCommerce , it is important to understand that it is not a fad, nor a video game, but rather a new way of communicating and establishing relationships that uses another (virtual) reality different from the one we know.

Through virtual reality devices , customers will be able to view and interact with the products they are going to buy before making the transaction. It is an innovative, immersive experience that, once it reaches a wide reach in the population (as has happened with social networks), opens a window of opportunities for eCommerce .

What is Virtual Reality and how does it apply to e-commerce?

Being clear about the concept of Virtual Reality is essential to understand its full potential. What exactly does it consist of and what advantages does it have? Why take advantage of VR to boost eCommerce?

Virtual Reality consists of an alternative reality, in which we can interact and have an immersive experience, as if we were in it. With VR , VR devices are used to try to transport the movements and feelings of the participant into the virtual world.

In Virtual Reality, a person can be in an environment other than reality, which is enormously more immersive than a movie or video game. The participant interacts, feels and shares through Virtual Reality what they want to convey, whether it is a state of mind or an action such as sunbathing, trying on glasses or designing a house with their favorite furniture.

What is the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality?

It is important not to confuse Virtual Reality with Augmented Reality . The latter is aimed at adding a virtual layer to reality, as we can see in the Snapchat or Instagram filters. The applications of Augmented Reality to eCommerce are notorious, and in fact, they are already used to test products of all kinds, especially in the fashion or cosmetics sector.

Virtual Reality, however, goes further and proposes an alternative scenario, accessible through VR glasses, where the user can participate in an immersive way.

Applications of Virtual Reality to eCommerce

The applications that Virtual Reality offers to electronic commerce represent an exciting scenario. We show you some of the applications of Virtual Reality to online stores.

1. Virtual product trial

The product sheets of an online store do not usually provide enough information to customers to form a complete idea of ​​a product. With Virtual Reality it is possible to do a virtual test of the products in the same way as if the customer had the product at home.

Imagine being able to buy a garden sofa and enjoy the experience of seeing how it looks before you buy it. Until now, the customer could only see the product physically in a store if it was assembled and on display. Now it will be possible to see and test any product, with any specific detail (upholstery, composition...), even if the product has not yet been produced.

2. Visit a store virtually

Think what it would be like, instead of going to a physical store , or buying your products through an online store, customers had the option of visiting a store with Virtual Reality. In this way, you could see a product exhibition in a completely immersive way, but in a way superior to if you visited it physically.

This would allow the customer to have a closer and more personalized experience of the product. In Virtual Reality you could have as big a space as you need to display all your items. The products would be easier to find, since the user would not have the limitations of visiting a physical store, which would make it easier to find any product quickly.

3. Interact with virtual assistant

In virtual reality, your customers can enjoy a closer and more personalized experience in their interaction with shop assistants. You can use a virtual assistant that is not simply a chatbot, but a 3D clerk that would offer you all the information you need to know about each product. Buyers would only have to put on the VR glasses to have a close and personalized conversation with the salesperson, which would eliminate the barriers that currently exist between online and offline commerce, but with the advantages of both.

This would allow customers to ask any questions they have to the virtual assistant, which would help them make their purchasing decision with greater confidence.

4. Interactive manuals

Online stores can take advantage of Virtual Reality to offer an interactive product guide , allowing buyers to be clear about how to use their product before it arrives. Seeing how the product works before purchasing it would dispel the doubts that often arise at first when dealing with complex products, especially electronic items and appliances.

For example, a buyer purchases a washing machine through an online store. Through Virtual Reality, you could view the washing machine live, with instructions to use different washing programs and see the result that each one would offer and for which fabric garments it is most suitable.

Shopify offers this functionality so that merchants who want to take a customer experience to another level can implement it within their online stores, allowing them to virtually interact with the products they are interested in purchasing to evaluate their characteristics prior to purchase.

At Webmefy we want you to be aware of the latest trends in eCommerce and be able to prepare your strategy to adapt to the revolution that Virtual Reality represents in electronic commerce. This technology is growing rapidly and we will increasingly see new applications on the market that allow your company to improve the customer purchasing experience.

If you want to make your online store make a difference in your sector, we invite you to contact us .