Using virtual reality to create an immersive product experience

The kitchen furniture fits perfectly into the room, the colors and materials were a good choice and the customer is very happy with her new kitchen. When customers experience products intensively before buying, this increases satisfaction and brand loyalty. Virtual reality is a key technology with the potential to fundamentally change the shopping experience in this respect.

Immersive technologies enable consumers to experience products in a completely new way even before they physically interact with them. Below, we highlight some exciting examples that show how virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality are already shaping the product experience in retail today.

The renowned jeweler Bvlgari has developed “Bvlgari Infinito”, a VR experience for the Apple Vision Pro. This app is a novelty in the world of luxury jewelry and combines craftsmanship with state-of-the-art spatial data processing. Users can explore the pieces of jewelry on interactive journeys. The first episode, “Serpenti Infinito”, is dedicated to the brand's iconic snake and offers a detailed virtual exploration of these jewelry pieces and watches. CEO Jean-Christophe Babin describes the development as a “game changer” that combines Bvlgari's heritage with digital innovation.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com has developed JD.Vision, a native app for the Apple Vision Pro. It aims to redefine shopping from home by offering a realistic experience. Customers can virtually place appliances, electronics and furniture from different brands in their own homes to better visualize size and design. JD.Vision uses Vision Pro's intuitive 3D user interface and enables navigation by eyes, hands and voice. The integration of the proprietary ChatRhino voice model also provides an AI-supported shopping assistant. Future enhancements will include virtual interior design, payments via iris recognition and other innovative functions. JD.com aims to position itself as a pioneer in next-generation retail.

The Spanish car manufacturer CUPRA is also taking innovative approaches to familiarize potential customers with the all-electric CUPRA Tavascan even before its market launch. In collaboration with MSM Digital, a mixed reality experience was developed for the Meta-Quest 3 VR headset, which presents a realistic virtual version of the vehicle directly in the showroom. It enables a 360-degree view of the exterior and interior of the vehicle. Users can take a virtual seat behind the wheel and simulate various functions such as opening the doors and activating the lights. They can also configure the virtual model with various options. Giuseppe Fiordispina, Head of Marketing at CUPRA Germany, emphasizes that this technology is an important part of the brand experience to generate interest in the new model at an early stage.

To optimize the shopping experience for its customers, French sporting goods retailer Decathlon has launched three new, innovative apps for Apple Vision Pro. With the first app, “Decathlon”, users in France, Germany and the UK can browse the online catalog in 3D and in real size and make purchases directly. The second app, “Decathlon Innovation”, which is available in the UK and France, presents the latest product innovations. The third app, “Quechua Virtual Showroom”, is available exclusively at Decathlon's Surrey Quays store in London and allows customers to virtually test and select products, creating an interactive shopping experience.

The US home improvement giant Lowe's has been offering free appointments for the Lowe's Style Studio™ in five stores in the Bay Area since April. Developed exclusively for Apple Vision Pro, this immersive 3D experience allows customers to design and virtually “experience” their kitchen in real time. They can change colors, styles and functions at will. Lowe's Style Studio™ is designed to give customers more confidence before a renovation by allowing them to virtually walk through their potential kitchens or smaller projects.

The examples presented illustrate the potential of virtual and mixed reality for the product experience in retail. From the placement of furniture in your own home to the interactive configuration of your car and the design of kitchens in your own four walls, VR opens up completely new ways of presenting and interacting with products. These innovative applications improve the shopping experience for consumers and lead to more confident product decisions and greater satisfaction with the purchase.

VR technology offers retailers valuable opportunities to strengthen customer loyalty and set themselves apart from the competition. The five examples shown here show that many retailers and brand manufacturers are investing in mixed reality applications, testing them and already using them in the customer journey.

• Create immersive VR experiences to create an emotional connection and increase the willingness to buy
• Build versatile product presentations, for example with the help of VR, to increase confidence in online purchases
• Design interactive and personalized customer journeys through mixed reality applications to increase customer satisfaction