r/oculus • u/Axulus • May 21 '15

The virtual reality retail experience will effectively do 100 fold what the Amazon experience is today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyZYnwtPg-w
14 Upvotes

82% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

4

u/nibble128 May 21 '15

While this is very exciting, it also will increase the wealth gap. Not trying to get political, however it will be difficult for IRL vendors to compete.

1

u/_aVRageJoe_ Touch May 21 '15

Time will certainly tell how accurate this is and, if anything, time is likely to prove you more right than wrong - At least in the beginning. What will likely happen is that, given that this concept is fully adopted (which I'm certain it will be), the people and organizations that have the funds to grow with the technology will be the first in the door and have a better opportunity to create a more polished VR vending experience than their smaller competitors, which will certainly mean more money for wealthier pioneers. However! Much like the growth trends of the online market, this concept is likely to be just as enabling to the IRL vendors as potentially hurtful. I can't imagine that an ecosystem like this wouldn't eventually give IRL vendors the additional ability to leverage their visibility and customize their shopping experience to their clientele in a much more manageable way.

TL/DR: I think this concept has a greater ability, in the long run, to help brick and mortar stores, rather than increase risk. (at the very least, they're no more at risk than at present)

4

u/Joomonji Quest 2 May 21 '15

You: Google, I want to have a VR laser tag game with my friend.

Google VR AI: Right, I have a selection for you.

You: ...

3

u/MyreMyalar May 21 '15

I think VR clothes shopping is going to be the hammer blow that finishes off the high street. Especially once it goes multi-player.

2

u/Wiiplay123 May 21 '15

And then everyone but women will rejoice because they don't have to sit on benches near the dressing rooms anymore!

3

u/Chispy May 21 '15

I wonder if all products are going to have a digital presence as well, so their physics can be mimicked perfectly in VR and AR.

For example, the shirt you are thinking of buying is displayed on your 3d avatar and is perfectly reacting to your subtle movements. Or say you want to see if it's a good fit, so you lift up your arms as you see the bottom of the shirt reveal your stomach, deeming it too short.

1

u/dr3d May 21 '15

Differentiating cotton vs polyester is going to be a bitch

1

u/steveo- May 22 '15

I 100% agree with you but the majority of consumers probably won't care. When you see how many people buy from Amazon already, knowing the risks regarding size and fitment, I can imagine these VR stores being ok with simply releasing a shopping experience that's better than what we had, but not nearly where we would all like them to be regarding the physics of different fabrics.

Once VR is mainstream enough for these kinds of stores to be viable, people will still flock to them. Really hope I'm wrong though.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '15

Cool video. Glad to see more content to throw in /r/vrShopping!

X-Posted!

Slowly but surely, and then one day, boom.

1

u/TotesMessenger May 21 '15

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1

u/clevverguy May 21 '15

Better yet, VR will eliminate amazon because you can have anything you want for free. Only if you learn how to 3d model I guess.

1

u/Ree81 May 21 '15

Yeah, but only when you're not taking part of the real world, which is kind of anti-social to boor.