Of all the industries that blew up online, e-commerce is up there with the leaders.
It’s worth more than $6.33 trillion in 2024, and that figure is set to rise dramatically over the next decade.
The introduction of virtual reality will help e-commerce evolve massively, and there are already many exciting ideas about how the industry will look. Businesses need to stay ahead of the game, and spot trends before others. The metaverse will bring plenty of freshness to e-commerce, with VR pop-up stores potentially destined for success.
VR is Coming But Will Need the Backing of Major Industries
VR is here, but it still seems a long way away from becoming an essential household item. The devices are improving and becoming more affordable, but the technology needs the backing of several key industries for it to become mainstream.
The online casino industry is likely to have a massive
Online casino games are getting more and more immersive, and developers are getting more adventurous with their themes. VR could make these titles even more engaging, and transport players to different worlds for each game.
If VR is to enter the mainstream, there’s no doubt that online casinos will play a role. E-commerce will also be a driving force behind it, but that industry is likely to see greater benefits once it has been adopted on a wide scale.
Ecommerce Industry Could be Transformed in VR
There’s no doubt that ecommerce will have to soon adapt to VR, and it will bring about brand new ways for people to shop. The industry has already evolved alongside other technology and societal trends, such as the emergence of live streaming and social media influencers. Some ecommerce sites have combined these two crazes and now use influencers to promote new content via live streams.
VR could bring about a more drastic change to the ecommerce industry than anything that has come before. It could give users more options than ever before about how they want to shop. For instance, there could live streams still, but users could have the chance to see the products from different angles by walking around them. They could also browse virtual stores and look at different products in this way, just as they would in the real world.
Metaverse Could Allow for New E-commerce Strategies
As new technology comes about, the most innovative companies are the ones that enjoy the greatest success. E-commerce business owners need to be ready to adapt to the metaverse, which could be the main way that people experience VR. If people are walking around in VR worlds, e-commerce companies need to find new ways to attract their attention.
The current form of advertising could be set to change dramatically. Currently, internet users see adverts pop up on their screens or within their social media news feeds. In the metaverse, pop-up stores could be used in place of adverts. As people explore different areas of the VR world such as social settings, ecommerce pop-up stores may appear in front of them.
AI algorithms will ensure that VR users are only presented with pop-up stores that are likely to appeal to them, in the same way that adverts are currently targeted to the desired demographics. If this comes to fruition, there’s a high chance it will massively enhance customer engagement. It will allow for interactive and immersive brand experiences that wouldn’t be possible in the physical world.
This would also offer a product visualizations opportunity that has never been seen before in the e-commerce market. Customers would be able to explore products in 3D and try them out in virtual environments before making a purchase. This means people would be more informed than ever before, and it may lead to a reduction in the number of products that are sent back because the customer wasn’t happy.
VR pop-up stores in the metaverse could completely change the game when it comes to marketing e-commerce products. Users will be able to get a better sense of the item they want to purchase than ever before and may even have a chance to test it out in the VR setting. When VR enters the mainstream, e-commerce sites will have to adapt and evolve quickly to get ahead of the competition.
