Obsess has announced the launch of “Shop with Friends.” It is a feature that enables consumers to shop in virtual stores together with groups of friends. Obsess is an experiential eCommerce platform that enables brands to create interactive, shoppable online virtual stores and showrooms.
Charlotte Tilbury is among the brands trying out the solution. It gives customers a way to turn online shopping into a fun social activity among friends. They can imitate a real-life activity with just the click of a button in their virtual stores.
The company says Shop with Friends is the next step in the evolution of eCommerce. It provides a more engaging, intuitive and human-centred online shopping experience. The feature brings 3D virtual shopping experience to life, driving discovery, dwell time, average order value and conversion for brands. At the same time, it enables them to reach new consumer audiences through word-of-mouth. Shoppers are expectedly to directly invite friends and family members to join them to shop virtual stores.
Shopping as a social outing
“In the real world, so many of us love to go shopping with our friends as a social outing. But, until now, no one has been able to re-create that group experience online,” said Neha Singh, Founder and CEO of Obsess.
“Our Shop with Friends video feature lets friends navigate virtual stores together and talk to one another in real time. They can share advice and inspiration, just like we do when shopping in physical stores. Many younger shoppers have grown up interacting online with friends in video games and esports. This feature brings the best elements of the gaming world to the experience of digital shopping.”
With Shop with Friends, customers can opt to invite others to join them for a virtual store experience. Customers can click a button and send friends and family a link to the virtual store by email or text. The video feature allows individuals in the group to see and hear one another as they navigate the virtual environment separately or together.
The process is the same as inviting them to a multiplayer videogame. For example, when one friend is browsing Charlotte’s Virtual Beauty Gifting Wonderland on CharlotteTilbury.com. others in the group can interact.
It allows them to join the shopper on one of three immersive islands dedicated to Charlotte’s gifting universe. They may look at the shades their friend is trying and give helpful tips, all in real-time. Users can opt to view a live video feed of the other participants on the side of their screen. Alternatively, they can hide the feed to see the virtual store in full-screen mode.
The sparkle of retail theatre
Charlotte Tilbury, President and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, says, “My 3-dimensional Virtual Beauty Gifting Wonderland is at the centre of the Charlotte Tilbury metaverse this holiday season! It combines all the sparkle and retail theatre of our stores with the ease and portability of the digital universe.
“It unveils a truly immersive Charlotte Tilbury experience. Customers will be guided by my Magic Charlotte avatar to enjoy the in-store from the comfort of their own home. Digital innovation is at the heart of everything we do. I am excited that we can bring this beauty tech to life for you to shop and play this holiday!”
Shop with Friends will enable store associates, stylists and influencers to guide shoppers. They can take them to different areas within the virtual environment. Demonstrate products and share styling tips. Wholesale sellers can use Shop with Friends to highlight products for buyers in virtual showrooms created by Obsess.
Obsess uses virtual- and augmented-reality technologies to create memorable, immersive digital flagship and pop-up store experiences for consumers and to digitise showrooms for wholesale buyers. Leading brands are partnering with Obsess to offer customers an immersive way to discover, shop and experience their products online.
Enterprise Times: What this means for business.
It’s really competitive out there. Consequently, anything new and innovative that differentiates you from your competitors must be welcome. Increasingly, consumers want to be entertained and want something different when shopping online.
Charlotte Tilbury’s new Shop with Friends feature sounds really hugely innovative addition to the next-generation online experience. The company has always been a digital-first brand. It is now attempting to bring its customers rich and immersive experiences whenever and wherever they meet the brand. By launching this new virtual store, the company is pushing the boundaries, truly operating as an omnichannel business.
