Hasta La Creative!

The convergence of VR and commerce could transform the way we shop, but the VR store is further off than we think, and it isn’t just about the technologies current penetration among consumers. Too often, thought leaders cite VR’s lack of ubiquity as the primary reason it hasn’t yet revolutionized commerce. They’re not wrong — it’s a factor. But the barriers run far deeper.

It helps to look at the issue from a purely transactional perspective, and ask why someone would opt to purchase in a virtual store versus online, mobile, voice or brick and mortar. Practically speaking, VR can’t match the convenience of shopping online, on mobile, or with a simple voice command. Alternatively, VR technology, while rapidly improving, cannot yet match the tactile fidelity of an in-store, in-person experience. This is why the standalone VR store has, and will continue to have, trouble gaining traction.

Last year, eBay launched a VR department store in partnership with Australian retailer Myer. While a commendable effort, it offered no clear benefit to the consumer over existing shopping methods. The store’s launch video called out features like being able to get a close-up, 360-degree view of products in virtual space, a curated experience based on the user’s shopping habits and a cursor that can be controlled via head and eye movement. Cool? Sure. Valuable to the consumer? Not really. Is a close up, 360-degree view of a jacket any better in VR than in great 360-degree product photography or web videos? Are there any major online retailers that don’t leverage available data to curate the shopping experience? And is controlling a cursor via head and eye movement easier than swiping on a mobile device, or A simple voice command? Not really.

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