How Is The Metaverse A Game-Changer For eCommerce?

Once again we’ve come up with the buzzword “metaverse”, which has not only altered the fashion and banking sector, but also put the spotlight on the ecommerce industry. Ecommerce is not left behind in utilising the revolutionary aspects of the metaverse. When it comes to shopping, the Metaverse provides a significant improvement over the current system by combining the best features of both online and traditional retail environments. It broadens the competitive landscape for merchants since the regulations now apply to both the tangible and intangible items. Moreover, the metaverse facilitates enduring customer relationships by providing new channels of interaction with the business. With a large client base, fewer returns, more efficiency, and safety, e-commerce platform operators may benefit greatly from venturing into the metaverse. In terms of making money, this is a novel approach. 

What will the future of business look like with this revolutionary, 3D version of the Internet?   What does this mean for the future of brands and stores? Which companies and why have they been investing in the metaverse? Stay hooked to remove this curiosity!

Essential Metaverse Technologies for Online Shopping

The E-commerce sector has been utilising the core technologies of the metaverse which are decentralized ledger (blockchain), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Extended Reality (XR).  

Decentralised Digital Ledger

Not only do exchange platforms like Bitcoin Loophole use blockchain technology, but so do other industries like e-commerce. While discussing the metaverse and ecommerce, blockchain comes as a core component of the metaverse.  Online security has always been a major issue, but a trustless, distributed ledger like blockchain may put shoppers’ minds at ease by removing their personal information from the transaction chain. As a bonus, it may also serve as a trustworthy and secure payment processor. The supply chain has to be simplified and the overall efficiency must be increased. Deloitte lists many businesses that make use of Blockchain technology, including a business-to-business (B2B) trade network that links buyers, sellers, logistics providers, and other organisations. Web 3.0, of which blockchain is a component, has several features with the Metaverse. Check out our blog post explaining web 3.0 if you’re still confused.

AR and VR Technologies

AR and VR technologies have changed the customers’ mental models from “Click-and-buy” to “Experience-and-buy”. We’ve found that  66% of consumers want to use augmented reality when they buy.  Most people think about augmented reality (AR) in the context of online shopping for clothing or home decor so that they may virtually try on different sizes or see how an item will appear in their own space. Informed buyers will have lower return rates, and everyone wins.

Profit Potential For Online Retailers Using The Metaverse

Retailers may reap benefits and find new ways to make money. See what benefits they can get using the revolutionary kid, the metaverse. 

1. Customer Service to the Next Level

It’s undeniable that improved customer service is a major factor in their purchase decisions. It’s crucial to think about and even predict people’s most fundamental needs.  The metaverse provides simulated adventures, individualised interactions, and social media integration by way of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and even XR (extended reality). Attractive to today’s youth, this drives the metaverse closer to social commerce.

2. Digital shopping experience

With the help of the metaverse, online retailers can provide customers with a one-of-a-kind digital shopping experience. The metaverse will provide a highly developed virtual reality to online businesses. Using their virtual avatar, online customers may interact in real-time with the items of their choosing. If an online retailer utilises the metaverse to construct a virtual store, consumers can enter it, navigate about it, and peruse the goods for sale. Throughout the anticipated time period, the e-commerce business will expand thanks to the rising popularity of virtual storefronts housed in the metaverse.

3. Increased User Engagement

E-commerce in the metaverse encourages more in-depth participation by bringing together online shopping and social networking. NFTs will allow brands to pre-launch collections or introduce totally new digital items to their audience. Brand recognition and interest in a metaverse e-commerce site will rise as a result.

The increasing acceptance of AR in the consumer sector is helping to fuel the expansion of the metaverse. Because of AR’s interactive nature, consumers may get a better feel for the goods, see how they will appear and fit, and make an informed decision about the product’s quality before purchase. E-commerce enterprises may reduce returns and increase their client base, while online shoppers benefit from the increased convenience.

4. Satisfaction of Buyers’ Expectations

The gap between what was promised and what was delivered is a big contributor to the high frequency of online product returns. Whether it’s due to a lack of detail in the listing, a description that’s too short, or a preference for a different aesthetic, the end product seldom pleases the customer. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) assist in solving this issue since they allow consumers to experience an item as close to reality as possible without leaving their homes.

5. Success at Its Finest

The metaverse has the potential to develop omnichannel e-commerce, which can keep consumers, by combining online and in-store buying experiences. The lifetime value of so-called “omnichannel customers” is 30% more than that of buyers who only use one channel, according to the research. Meanwhile, NFTs are a low-barrier-to-entry option to add digital goods to your marketing mix and expand your product offerings.

Brands Utilising The Metaverse

You can purchase almost anything in Roblox with real money by exchanging it for Robux, the in-game currency. Roblox and the fashion house Gucci collaborated on an in-game “Gucci Garden” which has a Gucci shop, museum, and eatery. During the brief two-week “event,” customers could visit a virtual Gucci boutique and try on and buy virtual clothing and accessories. The Queen Bee Dionysus purse, for example, was on sale for 470 Robux for an hour.

You can purchase things in Roblox and then sell them to the other people for cash. The mobile industry behemoth Samsung has also jumped into the metaverse. Using a replica of their flagship store in New York City, they attracted 120,000 customers to their online shop.

Not even Gucci, the epitome of high fashion, would pass this up. In 2021, they partnered with Roblox to market NFT toys to its user base. One of them called a Dionysus purse, went for $4,000.

Nike built a planet in the metaverse called NIKELAND where they interact with consumers, advertise their brand, and offer downloadable content. In addition, Nike sold NFT shoes for $3.1 million last year. They are one of the leading brands in the metaverse and deserve the title of the pioneer.

Answers To All Of Your Questions!

To sum up, the Metaverse represents a paradigm shift in online business. The Metaverse offers a new platform for e-commerce that is more engaging, dynamic, and customised because of the unique mix of blockchain, virtual reality, and augmented reality technology. It’s the beginning of the new era of shopper-centric e-commerce which is on the horizon as the Metaverse develops further.