Metaverse Commerce & 4 Metaverse Commerce Predictions

MetaCommerce or Metaverse?

A long time ago in a metaverse far, far away…

Metaverse is a digital world where the real meets the virtual. In fact, it is a concept that elevates the reality we have to a level we have never experienced before. We are all wondering how this "leveling up", which will affect all areas of life, will reflect in different sectors from entertainment to eCommerce.

While Web 3.0 is at the door, let's take a look at the new trends in metaverse commerce and the future of the 3D content generation services we offer as Artlabs.

Where It All Started

From Graphics and Images to 3D Solutions in eCommerce

As the traditional shopping experience requires spending long hours in the stores, it started to become incompatible with modern world practices. At this point, online shopping came to our rescue and became the center of our lives, especially with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Now we were able to shop with one click/tap, without having to leave the house. But after a while, we may start to miss that old familiar feeling.  This is the part where augmented reality can help, today AR solutions are bringing back the sense of experience customers expect from brands.

Virtual try-on, which you can encounter in many areas from footwear to clothing, brings together the old and new ways of shopping on a common ground for all of us. As Artlabs, we offer the ultimate virtual try-on experience for shoes. And we know that the transformation of eCommerce will not only be limited to this.

We were there when the world was moving from 2D to 3D, and now we are a proud 3D content generator for the metaverse as well.

Here are some of our predictions for the upcoming "metaverse commerce" trend.

Immersive Experiences and Digital Stores

“Every brand will have a digital store where it can showcase its products in 3D.”

The main purpose of brands has been to offer as immersive and realistic experiences as possible to impress and persuade their customers with some cutting-edge technologies.

At this point, considering to say that digital commerce has come a long way, and the brands that led this transformation became the leaders of the new eCommerce area.

Metaverse is an immersive experience in itself. That's why brands chasing immersion in traditional or digital commerce, now need to focus on keeping up with this new term. They need new strategies such as using the power of visualization with AR and VR and creating virtual showrooms.

Among these companies, those with metaverse-ready 3D assets will be one step ahead. Sooner or later, customers will start to shop in this new version of the 3D internet we call the metaverse, and it will be the closest experience to a real shopping experience (for now). It just takes some time for both brands and customers to embrace this transition, but this is the direction we are headed in the eCommerce area at the moment.

Here is a glimpse of this future: As you are walking in a digital store, you can view different product information such as size or prices simultaneously, and try the products you like virtually in a digital fitting room.

You liked that shirt, but does it seem a little plain to you? No worries, you can request the shirt of your dreams from the brand thanks to the personalization services offered in the metaverse.

Gamified, Immersive Experiences Are Here

“We will be shopping for our avatars just like we are playing Sims.”

It is in the nature of gamification to turn the simple activities that have become the routine of daily life into fun challenges. Technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality make this gamified shopping experience more realistic and immersive.

Not only we will be shopping with our avatars to find the best match, but we will also shop for them. “Direct-to-Avatar” (D2A) is a term that we will mention frequently soon.

Touching the future of eCommerce, gamification will allow customers to enjoy the convenience of online shopping while offering the similar experience they find in traditional shopping. We can say that visiting a store in the metaverse will embody the best features of both types of shopping. You are sitting in the living room of your home, but you are walking around in your favorite store, trying the products and buying the ones you like. It’s the best of both worlds.

Digital Fashion Brings Limitless Creations

"Every object and texture will become wearable in the metaverse."

In early 2021, digital shoe brand RTFKT Studios had sold 620 sneakers in 10 minutes, worth a total of $3.1 million. You may not have a tangible product, but digital fashion offers you unlimited personalized possibilities. Can you wear a dress in flames like Katniss Everdeen in real life?

You can in the metaverse, and these endless possibilities will encourage consumers to try new things, forcing brands to engage in technological transformation. Moreover, it seems that traditional brands too will do their best to reach these options.

Another advantage of dressing in the metaverse may be that it removes some moral dilemmas. For example, many common-sense people today are against fur products. Or, most people who argue that unregulated shopping is contributing to the environmental crisis are trying to curb the consumption frenzy by adopting slow fashion.

Unlike the real world, the fur you wear in the metaverse does not harm animals or the excess clothes you keep in your digital closet will not create a mountain of waste. Brands that want to achieve this vision are gradually digitizing their products. Every day, a new famous brand is the subject of a news story where its name goes together with digital fashion and NFTs.

Is Digital Ownership More Than Feeling?

“We will own a digital copy of everything we own.”

Commerce has been here since the beginning of humanity and will continue to be at the center of the metaverse. Talking about a new concept -especially if it hasn't started yet- is difficult, but we can predict where it can be headed based on our previous experiences. When the concept of digital fashion first emerged, it was foreign to most of us. The question "I don't have a tangible product, why should I spend money for these products?" has crossed our minds for sure.

It may not seem very functional even at the point we are in, but remember that those who took a step towards this new trend became the winners of the future. Anyone who predicts the metaverse will also create the next wave of winners, and one of those trends will be digital ownership.

In the future, we might have digital copies of every single product we buy in real life. This will also bridge the gap between physical and digital, giving digital assets a more realistic touch. This new way of ownership can also be shaped through NFTs.

Some NFT projects are already giving thousands of collectors digital ownership rights. Many people initially argued that this ownership could not go beyond a feeling, as it had no real-world equivalent. But in the metaverse of tomorrow, NFTs will be of paramount importance in our digital lives and identities.

For example, you can trade an NFT you get in a game, sell it or use it as a stepping stone to access other NFTs and digital collectibles. They can also provide utilities and be a ticket to special events or make you access to different project pre-sales. In other words, it is likely that we will exist in an economic system based on digital ownership and IP rights in the metaverse thanks to our digital wallets and the transparency offered by the Blockchain ecosystem. So yes, it is safe to say digital ownership is more than just a feeling.

Take The Next Step For Your Brand

While positioning your retail model as metaverse-ready, it is necessary to be aware of the blurred line between what’s real and what’s virtual. Metaverse commerce has the advantages of both online and offline shopping, and it is still early to bring your shop and products to this new digital reality.

As Artlabs, we are here today to offer 3D & AR shopping solutions, and we will continue to be there tomorrow, that is, in the metaverse supporting brands with immersive customer experiences. The real question is where you will stand for the future of your business. You can contact our professional team today and get more information about our 3D content generation services to become metaverse-ready.