READYSET VCOMMERCE & METAVERSE SHOPPING PLATFORM

There are many metaverse definitions, but the metaverse is essentially a virtual depiction of life as we know it. It is a shared platform that allows users to interact with others, play games, and even shop in an online 3 dimensional form. Many technology experts predict that the metaverse is going to be the next big thing, similar to how we predicted the internet would boom in the late 1990’s.

There are currently a few virtual lands that are considered a “metaverse”. Most examples exist through gaming platforms such as Decentraland, The Sandbox, Roblox and Fortnite. The essence of these metaverse video games is that they incorporate a shared user experience within an immersive 3D setting.

Yes, each metaverse platform is accessed through virtual reality and/or augmented reality devices. The metaverse is unlike the internet and cannot be fully experienced using traditional devices such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Although some metaverse platforms allow for navigation of their VR worlds using a PC, there will be limited functionality. A metaverse is created to be a three-dimensional world, so the VR headset is crucial in delivering the realistic, immersive experience it is designed to provide.

Similar to building your brand in the physical world, you must first create the digital assets to constitute your virtual world. You can establish your own virtual real estate and products through 3D modeling software or using a 3D scanner to turn real world objects into a digital model. With this in mind, know that the process of creating realistic 3D models is a specialized skill carried out by professional 3D modelers and quality 3D scanners are still in development and often expensive.

Rather than starting from scratch and developing a specialized 3D modeling process or team, you can speed up your digital asset building process by using ReadySet’s 3D product model library and virtual retail environments. ReadySet provides you with a wide variety of high-quality, customizable, premade store labs for easy merchandise planning in big box stores like Walmart or Target, home improvement stores, grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and more.

Learn more about the ReadySet VR environments available or inquire about a custom 3D model project by scheduling a demo.

Virtual commerce or V-commerce is an online virtual reality shopping experience that combines physical store exploration with e-commerce convenience.

While physical shopping in-store has remained relevant, e-commerce has proven that customers want options when it comes to how they make purchase decisions. E-commerce is today's version of modern shopping, v-commerce is the next evolution of the shopping experience. While e-commerce is accessed through mobile, tablet, and PC devices, v-commerce uses a virtual reality headset to bring online shopping to life.

With today’s highly competitive markets, offering a hands-on VR experience of your brand will enrich the consumers’ buying process. Users are able to virtually handle products, wander virtual showrooms, and compare life-like products. The main focus of virtual commerce is giving users a more personalized and immersive shopping experience. Allowing customers to interact with products before making a purchasing decision will increase conversion rates and drive sales.

There are several metaverse retail examples, including Nike who became one of the first brands to open a store in the metaverse with a virtual store on Roblox. Although current metaverses mostly exist for gamers and entertainment seekers, virtual reality technology is being functionalized by brands for internal processes such as merchandising innovation, shopper research, product education and employee training. VR proves to be more efficient than physical processes, while also being more engaging and realistic than 2D online solutions.

While these virtual assets cannot be accessed publicly, there are many opportunities for these established VR experiences to be utilized in a metaverse. Many retail organizations are looking at VR as a shopping platform to better engage with their consumers. As VR hardware continues to advance and content offerings grow, more individuals will acquire VR headsets into their everyday technology. Future expectations are that these VR worlds will be entered as easily as the internet by using VR headsets that are as accessible as a cell phone.

A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical object or system. There are various types of digital twin technology that vary in complexity and function. One type of digital twin is a true-to-reality simulation of a real-world physical asset or system that includes replication of its physics and materials that is continuously updated in real-time. An example would be a replication of a fulfillment center process that tests out human-robot interactions before activating certain robot functions in the live environment.

ReadySet’s digital twins are virtual replicas of physical stores that enable retailers or brands to simulate and optimize store operations in a virtual environment. They act as a store lab environment for unlimited experimentation with layouts, merchandising, planograms, product packaging, and more. By creating a 3D digital twin of a store, brands and retailers can gain insights into how their innovations will perform in the real world before implementation and identify opportunities for improvement.

The cost of building a digital twin varies by the size and sophistication of the twin. With purchase of a ReadySet license, you will have immediate access to multiple store digital twin lab environments for use at no extra cost, including Walmart, Target, Grocery, Drugstore, Club and Cstore. If you would like a custom digital twin environment, please contact us to explore your project possibilities and get a quote.

The size and complexity of a digital twin environment will determine how long it will take to build. If blueprint measurements and other necessary information is provided, the ReadySet 3D modeling team can establish a basic digital twin in as little as a month's time. For larger projects or if building information will need to be sourced, the digital twin build may take up to 3-6 months. If you would like to get a quote for a custom digital twin, please contact us to explore your project possibilities.