The past couple of months have been transformational for the retail industry as pandemic-induced lockdowns and social distancing pushed consumers to try new technologies and digital experiences. The desire for exceptional brand messaging and physical-meets-digital (phygital) shopping experiences has changed brick and mortar retail forever which forces brands to re-think how they sell their services online to the post-covid consumer. Consumers have come to expect brand messaging that feels educational, entertaining and surprising. Accordingly, it becomes a considerable challenge for brick and mortar to deliver clients experiential customer journeys and present their narrative universe online.
Experiential e-commerce refers to the element of serendipity in which customers can discover online events and structures in an unguided way. Here, one can navigate itself through a space which leaves more room for unexpected occurrences. For many customers, online shopping still seems a highly unfulfilling activity. Experiential retail wants to break this linearity of browser-based shopping and offer customers a type of platform that feels natural and through UX design. This allows users to wander around the space and discover new things without losing a sense of agency.
One of the approaches to do this and which especially works well with younger consumers is using a gaming-inflected approach to e-commerce. A good example is fashion brand Pangaia’s Microsite. Customers find themselves in an Antarctic surrounding where they can move around and ‘collect’ certain items on their way. While collecting these items, they get confronted with educational animations, games and 3D product models of apparel. Although they can check-out at every moment, the brand captures users’ attention by immersing them in the environment by using matching sounds and lightning. An important aspect of this gaming approach is including some sort of reward structure. By incorporating hidden elements that only the very attentive customer sees, a brand can really create purpose and gives a customer reason to come back. Such technologies incentivize customers in a fun and emotive way, while also teaching them about the principles behind the brand.
But how can brands like Pangaia make this experience even more meaningful for customers? One of the benefits of building a retail platform within a game engine is that it allows for the creation of shared experiences. In the future, multiplayer options in which ambassadors and influencers can assist the customer during its journey can optimize the experience. Also, it would permit customers to access the platform with friends while being able to create their own avatars. By offering shoppers meaningful virtual experience, brands can differentiate from competitors and increase digital presence.
Source: https://www.frameweb.com/article/experiential-ecommerce
