VR Shopping Launched By eBay With Its Shoptacles

The first VR shopping app was launched by eBay recently as the e-commerce giant has jumped into the virtual reality bandwagon through its “shoptacles.” The company is working with Myers, a department store based in Australia. The store has around 12,500 items available to shoppers. The app allows shoppers to select and add these items into their cart by a simple head movement.

To encourage Australians to shop using the app, 20,000 headsets will be given away by eBay for free. These “Shoptacles” are similar to the Google Cardboard headsets. Even as companies, such as Sony, Oculus and HTC, are working on their own VR headsets designed for entertainment and gaming, eBay is using the low-cost Google Cardboard headsets for commercial purposes.

The virtual store of eBay will contain numerous products from cosmetics to appliances, all of which are floating in a 3D environment in front of the eyes of shoppers. A listing will come out when shoppers look at a particular product. The listing will show an option for shoppers to at the item into their cart. Around 120 products were rendered in 3D providing shoppers a 360-degree view while shopping.

VR Shopping Launched By eBay With Its Shoptacles - image credit: mashable.com

While it is still necessary for shoppers to use their mobile phone to finalize the transaction, eBay indicated that they are only scratching the surface of what they can do. Senior marketing and retail innovation director of eBay, Steve Brennen, said they believe virtual reality is the next retailing channel. Brennen added they are not creating gimmicks and retailing in the virtual world should be a part of an “omni-channel strategy” for the future.

The launch is essentially a trial for eBay as it will monitor the uptake on the “shoptacles” and the interface is used by customers. The app can be downloaded for use on any conventional VR headset. The company will look into analytics, including browsing data, personalization of the app and dwell times.

Brennen said they want to put it on the hands of its customers and check on their response. They are also aiming to make adjustments and bring it to the next level. He added that the use of the “shoptacles” and VR shopping is simply a glimpse of where virtual shopping will go to in the next few years.

Posted by George Daniels on Friday May 20 2016, 10:27 AM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Shopping. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0