ByondXR Explores Digital
Transformation and the Future of Retail
By
Noam Levavi
When was the last time you went shopping? I don’t mean picking up toiletries at the grocery store, I mean a real shopping trip?
The COVID-19 pandemic is often called “unprecedented,” but it truly shook up the world of business in America with thousands of companies looking for ways to adapt to the new realities. In recent decades, the development and use of new technology for businesses have skyrocketed, and the COVID-19 pandemic forced the acceleration of digital transformation across industries and sectors.
Now, picture in your mind the experience of shopping in a physical store. Browsing through colorful displays of products, clothes, makeup, food, all neatly arranged and presented for you, appealing and enticing.
Now imagine the traditional online shopping experience – although I’m sure you don’t need to.
Scrolling through an endless feed of static images as you search for the one shirt, the one tube of mascara, browsing endlessly for some nameless product only to click out of the window when you can’t find what you’re looking for.
Modern times call for modern solutions, and with the rise of the digital era, brands are adopting alternative ways to incorporate brand messaging and find additional touchpoints with consumers who shop from home. A team of world-leading innovators in consumer engagement and immersive technology at ByondXR transforms the retail industry with a focus on fashion, home decor, and luxury goods.
ByondXR’s client, Lancôme, has been one of the first brands to brilliantly adopt new-wave shoppable 360 environments. ByondXR and Lancôme launched 3D virtual showrooms, where customers can navigate, explore, and learn about products in a much more engaging fashion, in Germany, Australia, Japan, and the next ones will soon launch in many other countries across the world.
Lancôme’s first virtual flagship store was rendered after their Parisian flagship at 52 Avenue des Champs-Elysée where customers can pan around in this virtual space, viewing products like they would in an in-person store. If you’ve ever used the Google Maps Street View function, you’ve had a similar experience – clicking to move around the digital world as if you were actually there. If a certain product catches the customer’s eye, they can click on it, and an informational window pops up with further descriptions of the item and a link to purchase it.
Futuristic virtual experiences like these revolutionize online shopping and foster meaningful relationships between companies and their customers. Our clients, including Target, Mitsubishi, and L’Oréal recorded between 250% to 300% increased engagement, longer customer sessions, and more than 30% increase in conversions, forming stronger brand connection and loyalty.
In today’s fast environment, brands are moving towards B2i (Business to Individual) strategies that require fundamental changes in an organization’s mindset. Virtual solutions and 3D experiences help retailers go through the critical digital transformation and build long-lasting relationships with their audiences online.
Virtual commerce turns into a mesmerizing personal experience, more exciting, safe, and intimate than shopping at a physical store. We have already seen that younger generations tend to prioritize a shopping experience over the actual transaction.
Today, 360-degree storefronts, developed by ByondXR’s tech experts, are transforming the retail industry. It’s an exciting time to live in, seeing and feeling the advanced tech around us that is becoming part of our evolving reality.
