On the 2024 stages of NRF, eTail, Shoptalk and beyond, industry experts discussed the disruptive virtual retail trends and challenges retail leaders should be addressing—in particular, how the former-buzzword “AI” has now become an integral part of the retail landscape. Obsess was on the ground at all of these events, and we’ve pulled the top three recurring themes on the minds of retailers today:
1. Retail is Embracing the AI Advantage
In the fast-paced world of retail, staying ahead of the curve is non-negotiable. Forward-thinking companies are investing in AI to streamline operational processes, advance personalization strategies, build predictive analytics and more—revolutionizing retail and driving cross-functional efficiency through a variety of use cases. Retailers are particularly fond of leaning into the virtual retail trend of artificial intelligence as a means of enhancing the customer experience and increasing internal efficiencies. Whether it’s with the introduction of AI virtual assistants or the creation of AI-enabled content, there are several ways brands can adopt artificial intelligence that enhances shopper engagement.
2. Elevating Experiences with Personalization
Brands are increasingly discovering the importance of treating consumers as individuals rather than datasets. Retailers are now shifting away from a linear customer funnel to a dynamic one distinctly impacted by the various touchpoints and interactions shoppers have with brands.
Everyone’s shopping journey is different. A major focus for brands and retailers is to develop a consumer-centric approach to online shopping, emphasizing genuine dialogue and empathetic personalization. The key to empathetic personalization is to deeply understand and connect with consumers, and cater to their individual needs and preferences to enhance their experience. Brands are leveraging technologies like AI and 3D visualization such as product customization features to offer these tailored experiences, and gain insight into consumer demand. Brands can utilize AI to empower consumers by integrating AI-powered recommendation engines to curate product recommendations, forging hyper-personalized shopper journeys online.
Another way to elevate a shopper’s experience with a brand is to deliver a unified and seamless experience across all channels, online and offline. The modern consumer knows what they want, and it’s up to the brand to meet them where they are with a consistent presence.
3. Social Commerce and the Power of Play
The rise of social commerce and gamification in retail is rooted in Gen Z’s online behaviors, leaning toward concise content, peer reviews and cultural cues. Consumer behaviors are shifting toward small-screen entertainment, with social media platforms becoming key channels for discovery and shopping. Social media is inherently community-focused and hyper-engaging, providing brands with an opportune platform to reach fans and new shoppers. Shoppable video and social commerce’s rise to prominence offers brands new opportunities to engage with consumers and build community.
Incorporating gamification into retail experiences is also essential. Gaming elements are hyper-engaging and make shopping experiences more interactive, catering to the preferences of the gaming-native audience. More than 80% of today’s consumers classify themselves as gamers, and for Gen Z, it’s over 90%. Many brands have opted to leverage game play by creating brand experiences on gaming platforms like Roblox, which has a massive user base primarily of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Hair care brand, amika, recently launched their Roblox experience, the amikaverse, with Obsess—a vibrant gamified environment where the brand can engage their young consumers.
How to Keep Up With (Or, Really…Stay Ahead Of) the Consumer
The age old challenge in retail. The modern consumer’s rapidly rising expectations are outpacing many retailers’ and brands’ ability to adapt. With customer experiences and expectations top of mind for retail leaders, many are turning to innovative technologies and leaning into virtual retail trends to meet demands. From artificial intelligence to 3D visualization and gamified commerce, retail’s tech stack is ever evolving in order to give consumers what they want, where they want it.
With patented 3D technology, Obsess is enabling brands and retailers to engage shoppers with bespoke AI-powered 3D virtual stores on their own websites as well as Roblox and Apple Vision Pro. Virtual stores are able to host a slew of interactive features, custom to the brand’s identity. From gamification and personalized quizzes to product customization and AI-powered virtual assistants, each feature aims to increase customer engagement, brand loyalty and conversion. Email us at contact@obsessvr.com or book a demo to learn more about how Obsess’ immersive shopping platform can help your brand stay ahead of the consumer.
Branded experiences on Roblox are revolutionizing the way companies engage with younger, digitally-native audiences. For brands aiming to connect with the next generation, understanding and participating in this vibrant ecosystem is not just advantageous; it’s imperative. With over 70 million daily active users, Roblox presents a dynamic platform where the boundaries between gaming, social interaction and digital commerce blur—offering companies a vibrant space to engage a community of highly attentive consumers.
What Are Roblox Experiences?
At the heart of Roblox lies a diverse array of user-generated games and virtual environments, collectively known as Roblox experiences. These are not just games but immersive worlds where users can explore, create and interact. This dynamic blend of entertainment and creativity makes Roblox a unique platform for users and creators alike.
Why Brands Should Consider Roblox
Roblox presents an unparalleled opportunity for brands to engage with a vast, engaged audience. With millions of daily users, the platform offers:
Reach: Roblox’s massive, global user base comprises primarily Gen Z, Gen Alpha and younger millennials, providing direct access to hard-to-reach demographics that are less responsive to traditional media.
Engagement:The interactive nature of Roblox experiences fosters deep engagement, allowing brands to build stronger connections with their audience.
Innovation: Roblox is at the cutting edge of digital interaction, offering brands a space to innovate and experiment with new forms of engagement and storytelling.
Collaborating with a specialized partner like Obsess can help brands navigate Roblox’s complexities to create custom, branded experiences that resonate with audiences. By harnessing Obsess’s expertise, brands like Brooklyn-based haircare brand amika have successfully entered Roblox, offering engaging content that aligns with their brand narrative and overall marketing objectives.
Considerations When Building on Roblox
To maximize the impact of a Roblox experience, consider the following:
Engagement is Key:Design your space to encourage interaction and exploration, making it memorable and shareable.
Social Features Matter: Utilize Roblox’s social capabilities to promote community building and user-generated content, amplifying your brand’s reach.
Stay Authentic: Ensure your Roblox presence aligns with your brand’s values and aesthetic, creating a cohesive and authentic experience.
Take Advantage of UGC:Roblox allows brands to sell branded digital items for user avatars. Any avatar accessory (also called a “UGC” in Roblox) can be sold as a digital item in a brand’s Roblox experience—from clothing to shoes, handbags, hats, sunglasses, jewelry and even makeup looks and hairstyles. Once a Roblox user purchases an item, they can wear it to all Roblox experiences where other users will see their outfit, hence increasing brand awareness and encouraging others to purchase the same item from your store.
Why Build a Branded Experience on Roblox?
60% of Roblox users are Gen Z. The collection of apps on the platform enables highly engaging virtual gaming worlds, which brands can leverage to reach new audiences and increase loyalty.
Obsess works with Roblox to create shoppable, focused, high fidelity virtual stores that give brands a more seamless and manageable entry point onto the platform. While traditional Roblox worlds focus on incentivizing game play, Obsess-powered virtual stores in Roblox leverage gamification and tactical merchandising to promote purchases.
Examples of Roblox Experiences Created by Brands
Brands, such as Nike, Gucci, Forever 21 and Walmart have all created experiences in Roblox to extend their brand story to a new audience. See how these brands and more are engaging Gen Z with Roblox experiences: https://obsessar.com/blog-roblox-brand-experiences/.
How to Maximize ROI in Roblox
To maximize ROI on Roblox, brands can work with Obsess to create a data-backed store layout that encourages product sales—all based on Obsess’s 3D spatial data from over 300 other virtual stores. This is a new type of experience for the Roblox platform; one that prioritizes shopping and tactical merchandising.
Brands can also distribute their Roblox virtual store across multiple channels and devices. Every Obsess virtual store can be released across mobile and desktop on a brand’s website, plus spatial computing and VR/AR devices like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest.
Ready to Learn More? Book a demo with Obsess to learn more about how to get started with building a shopping-focused Roblox experience for your brand.
At eTail West 2024, Obsess’ CEO and Founder, Neha Singh, joined a panel with retail leaders from Nike and ThirdLove to discuss the evolution of online retail and its future. The conversation, centered on attracting and engaging the next generation of consumers, took a deep dive into some of the innovative strategies that are setting new benchmarks for the industry.
Neha’s participation was driven by Obsess’ commitment to understanding the unique shopping preferences and digital behaviors of younger consumers. This demographic’s expectations are shaped by rapid technological advancements and a seamless blend of online and offline experiences. The panel provided a platform to discuss how brands are pioneering new ways to captivate this audience.
Leading with Virtual Stores in a Gaming-Native World
One of the highlights of the discussion was the emphasis on virtual stores and their significance in engaging a gaming-native audience.
With more than 80% of consumers today saying that they play video games, and an even higher percentage for Gen Z, the integration of gamification into shopping experiences is not just innovative—it’s essential. Obsess’ virtual store platform represents the forefront of this integration, offering immersive, interactive environments that draw on the engagement mechanics of video games.
During the panel, Neha shared how Obsess-powered virtual stores are designed to make shopping more dynamic and personalized, incorporating features like in-scene videos, dynamic merchandising and AI-powered content. This approach resonates deeply with a demographic that values engaging, interactive digital experiences, bridging the gap between gaming and shopping to create a memorable, captivating online environment.
The Future of Shoppable Video and AI Personalization
The panel also discussed the untapped potential of shoppable video in the U.S. and the transformative impact it has had in other markets. The conversation ventured into the role of AI in retail, particularly in personalizing the shopping journey.
At Obsess, we’re leveraging AI to revolutionize how consumers discover products, using new technologies such as virtual assistants and AI-powered recommendation engines that provide tailored shopping experiences. This technology is instrumental in meeting the demands for personalization among younger consumers, offering them recommendations and experiences that align with their unique preferences and shopping behaviors.
Shaping the Future of Online Retail
The discussions at eTail West 2024 underscored the transformative impact of emerging technologies on online retail. As companies continue to innovate and push the boundaries of what is possible in e-commerce, online customer experiences will only continue to get better and more akin to real life.
By embracing new technologies, such as 3D virtual stores and AI-driven personalization, brands are poised to not only respond to the evolving needs of the next generation of consumers; they will actively lead retail into its next era.
The arrival of Apple Vision Pro ushers in a new era of spatial computing for retail. Popularized by Apple with the launch of Apple Vision Pro, the term spatial computing refers to the human-computer interaction perceived by users to be taking place in their own reality rather than through a screen. Driven by enhanced processors, ultra-high definition and global network speeds, Apple Vision Pro blends digital content with the user’s physical space.
The highly-anticipated launch of Apple Vision Pro proved to be an exciting opportunity for fashion, luxury and beauty brands to cement their statuses as pioneers in immersive retail technology. Apple Vision Pro and spatial computing devices offer users a more straightforward, instinctive and human-centric approach to interacting with technology that brands utilize to create immersive e-commerce experiences that mimic real-world shopping. Innovative brands are zeroing in on their spatial computing strategies, to capitalize on the hype around Apple Vision Pro—signaling a pivotal step toward popularizing spatial technology and 3D digital interfaces for retailers. Here’s why retailers are choosing to invest in spatial computing and immersive shopping experiences:
A New Platform, A New Type of Shopper
As with other Apple devices, the early apps in the App Store will have the highest rate of downloads. The Apple Vision Pro launch is a new opportunity for brands to target tech-savvy, affluent new customers in a completely different way—and they can do so during a buzzworthy launch period.
Brands such as J.Crew, Mytheresa, Alo Yoga and e.l.f. Cosmetics recently partnered with Obsess to launch their visionOS shopping apps with the arrival of the device—marking a milestone for retail technology. Each of the apps incorporates the best of Apple’s latest technology such as progressive immersion, high definition 4K displays, spatial audio and interactions via intuitive hand and eye movements. Obsess taps into these capabilities to create highly immersive, dynamic branded shopping experiences for what promises to be the next iPhone moment.
Embrace Experience Through Spatial Computing
Spatial computing devices promise revolutionary immersive experiences akin to human interactions in real-life. By using the full 360 space around a user, products can be displayed at life-size or larger-than-life size. With the ultra-high resolution 4k display in each eye of Apple Vision Pro, customers are able to visualize products and brand storytelling visuals at a higher fidelity and detail than they ever could ever see before on their phones or computers. Brands can use this as an opportunity to introduce a new means of product discovery and interaction for shoppers.
For example, Alo Yoga recreated four different settings in their “alo Sanctuary” app, letting users visualize products in a contextual environment that transcends traditional e-commerce and fosters consumer engagement. Vision Pro users can interact with life-size, styled mannequins and physically pull them closer to examine the products at a granular level. Their experience represents a new era of online shopping by combining immersive technology with wellness, aiming to create deeper consumer connections and drive more holistic, contextual storytelling. Alo incorporated wellness into their shopping experience by offering over 20 complimentary meditation sessions from Alo Moves, their wellness platform which was previously only offered to paying subscribers.
e.l.f. Cosmetics also embraces experience beyond browsing with their visionOS shopping app, “your best e.l.f.”—creating a space for the brand’s community to deepen their relationship with the brand through immersive exploration and branded games. Users are invited to explore three distinct environments, each themed after a product within the app. In addition to shopping via Apple Pay, users can participate in activities such as guided meditations, stretching exercises and a “Paint by Numbers” game. The spatial experience encourages users to unwind and explore the best versions of themselves through playful, inspirational environments that contextualize an assortment of 3D e.l.f. products.
Make the Shopping Experience More Human
Apple Vision Pro offers groundbreaking social technology with SharePlay, a feature that enables users who are not physically in the same location to feel as if they are sitting next to each other and having a shared experience. Obsess can develop immersive shopping experiences for visionOS that include digital clienteling, enabling high-value customers and sales associates to interact with each other and with products in a shared virtual environment. Imagine a virtual stylist recommending looks based on your color tones and preferences, all within the app.
J.Crew’s “Virtual Closet” is an immersive shopping experience that empowers personalized shopping from multiple avenues. From the interactive mannequin to SharePlay capabilities, the brand is leveraging spatial computing to personalize the shopping experience like never before. With the interactive mannequin, users can mix and match a curated selection of products; through intuitive hand and eye movements, Vision Pro users can browse a selection of items and create their own ideal outfit for any occasion. J.Crew is utilizing social shopping capabilities by incorporating Apple’s SharePlay into their app. With this feature, users can virtually call a J.Crew styling expert or host group calls to get other’s opinions on looks while in the experience.
Luxury retailer Mytheresa will also soon enable their top shoppers to experience a curated styling session with personal shoppers in their visionOS app. The “Mytheresa, Immersive Luxury App” transports users to luxury shopping destinations such as Capri, Italy and Paris, France in hyper-realistic immersive environments. Visitors can browse curated edits in immersive product carousels amidst contextual environments. Selections are continuously updated with new launches and capsule collections. The digital clienteling capabilities, soon to be released, will up-level their current experience to become even more personalized and social.
Immersive Shopping Experiences for Apple Vision Pro
Obsess is bringing brands and retailers into the era of spatial computing by developing immersive shopping apps for Apple Vision Pro, furthering our mission to create the next-generation online shopping interface. Along with the launch of the device, Obsess designed, developed and released four new immersive visionOS shopping apps—including the premiere fashion, beauty and luxury shopping apps. These four apps are ushering in a new era for retail, fueled by a soon-to-be ubiquitous appetite for spatial computing.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences, including virtual stores. Obsess virtual stores are built for cross-platform distribution, which means that any of the stores that Obsess builds for Apple Vision Pro can be replicated for web and mobile and vice versa—increasing overall ROI and reach. These experiences can also be optimized and reimagined for other platforms, such as Roblox and Meta Quest, which reach different user bases.
If you’re interested in joining the spatial computing frontier and want to create an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
The secret is out: Obsess has designed, developed and released five new immersive shopping apps for the just-released Apple Vision Pro spatial computer—including the premiere fashion, beauty and luxury shopping apps. Each of the spatial computing apps incorporates the best of Apple’s latest technology—such as progressive immersion, high definition 4K displays, spatial audio, interactions via intuitive hand and eye movements, SharePlay and a blend of digital content with the physical space around you.
We are proud to say that this milestone not only marks a significant leap in furthering our mission to create the next generation online shopping interface, but also an advancement for the world of retail technology, in general. These first-of-their-kind apps are ushering in a new era for retail, fueled by a soon-to-be ubiquitous appetite for spatial computing.
We have partnered with pioneers at leading retail brands—including J.Crew, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Mytheresa, Alo Yoga and RIMOWA—to bring these visionOS apps to life.
Read on to peek inside each of the apps and their groundbreaking features. All apps are available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.
J.Crew Virtual Closet App
Our collaboration with J.Crew has led to the creation of the Virtual Closet app, a groundbreaking fusion of timeless fashion and cutting-edge technology. Drawing inspiration from the iconic 1990s film Clueless, we’ve transformed the long-desired concept of a virtual wardrobe into a tangible, life-size reality. Users can effortlessly mix and match outfits for any occasion, utilizing intuitive hand and eye gestures. This app also debuts the integration of SharePlay technology, setting a new standard for digital clienteling.
SharePlay includes a powerful set of features for shared experiences while on a FaceTime call through Vision Pro. The J.Crew app leverages a digitized version of a person (and their subtle facial expressions and gestures) to allow them to activate one-on-one video calls with J.Crew’s expert stylists or host group video chats to get others’ opinions on looks. When one person creates an outfit, the other person can see it—and they can react, comment and give feedback in real time. The subtlety of the persona’s interaction creates a hyperrealistic shared experience, making digital shopping feel more social than ever.
The J.Crew visionOS app offers a curated selection of products, enabling customers to scrutinize the texture and quality of materials like never before. An Apple Vision Pro user can pull up a piece of clothing or an accessory so close to their face that they can see a product’s granular weaves, textures, folds, creases and dyes. The level of detail attainable is akin to a real-life examination of a garment up close.
This app also includes realistic background scenes to inspire and guide users in updating their wardrobes. For example, resort looks can be visualized within the context of a 360-degree immersive beach setting.
The e.l.f. app isn’t just about buying beauty products; it’s an immersive journey centered around self-expression and relaxation. Through engaging activities and 3D product visualizations, we’ve worked with the brand to blend retail therapy with self-care and render a virtual escape that relaxes all the senses.
“your best e.l.f.” is a holistic experience that leverages the advanced spatial computing capabilities of Apple Vision Pro, featuring pioneering technologies like progressive immersion, 3D product visualizations, spatial audio and a seamless Apple Pay integration.
The app invites users to explore three distinct virtual environments—Camo Cove, Big Mood and Halo Glow—each representing an e.l.f. product line. These settings provide an opportunity for customers to interact with products in high fidelity, thanks to 3D modeling and 4K displays. Users can engage in relaxing activities like guided meditations, stretching exercises and an interactive Paint by Numbers game that results in artwork of animals, which come to life throughout the experience. Each time that visitors return to the experience, a different animal appears—encouraging repeat visits after users take a break for a moment or for the day.
To accompany the launch of “your best e.l.f.” for Apple Vision Pro, e.l.f. has partnered with Obsess to create a version of the “your best e.l.f.” experience for Safari users, ensuring that the immersive world of e.l.f. is accessible to a broader audience.
Our collaboration with Mytheresa has resulted in a truly immersive luxury shopping app. We transport users to glamorous destinations around the globe, offering a sensory-rich shopping experience. This app sets the stage for Mytheresa to launch exclusive collections and curated edits on Apple Vision Pro, with a future vision of offering personalized styling sessions through the app.
As one of the first luxury platforms to embrace Apple’s new Vision Pro spatial computing device, Mytheresa is pioneering a new era in digital retail, offering customers an unparalleled shopping experience. It allows users to virtually transport themselves to iconic fashion destinations like Capri and Paris, where users can explore curated edits specific to each destination—such as resort wear for the beach and party wear for city nightlife.
This app isn’t just about shopping; it’s about experiencing luxury in a deeply emotional and interactive way, including a first-of-its-kind immersive product carousel. The integration of Apple Pay adds to the seamless, innovative experience. Mytheresa’s iconic yellow box and the new exclusive pattern featured in the app’s intro and outro scenes round out this luxe journey.
The alo Sanctuary app represents the brand’s foray into blending wellness with retail. As the first wellness-driven shopping app on Apple Vision Pro, the alo Sanctuary offers users an escape to tranquil environments, each showcasing a unique product collection. We’ve pushed the boundaries of product visualization, enabling users to inspect products with an unprecedented level of detail and realism.
There are four core environments within the app—the beach, mountains, canyons and jungle—which each represent Alo’s Navy, Midnight Green, Espresso and Wild Berry collections, respectively. This thoughtful design allows consumers to visualize and contextualize Alo’s products in diverse settings. The app will be updated seasonally, keeping the collections and experiences fresh and engaging.
Alo has gone a step further in enhancing the user experience by featuring life-size, styled mannequins in each environment. Users can interact with these mannequins, rotating and engaging with them, which brings a new level of interaction to online shopping.
alo Sanctuary will also offer complimentary meditation exercises, previously exclusive to its subscription-based platform, Alo Moves. The app includes a range of meditations within each environment, totaling over 20 different sessions. This feature not only promotes wellness but also ensures a holistic and soothing shopping experience.
We partnered with luxury luggage and travel accessories brand, RIMOWA, to create a curated experience that highlights their core collections: Classic, Hybrid, Original and Essential. Our collaboration with the LVMH brand resulted in an immersive experience that guides users to select the best suitcase for their needs in augmented reality (AR) on Apple’s spatial computer.
Apple Vision Pro users can measure product dimensions and interact with the product as if it were in front of them, allowing them to experience it in a 360 mixed environment. With the goal of driving product discovery, education, immersion and engagement, the RIMOWA Explore app allows users to discover each facet of the suitcases. Focusing on exploration, users are able to compare different collections side by side, in multiple colorways, and dive deep into individual products’ features and functionalities. From the wheels to the handle and interior, interacting with each piece triggers an animation that displays their intended use.
A New Era of Shopping, Fueled by Spatial Computing
These collaborations represent more than just technological advancements; they embody a leap toward achieving Obsess’ mission to create the next generation shopping interface across platforms. The arrival of Apple Vision Pro and its shopping apps heralds a new era of spatial computing by seamlessly merging virtual and physical realms, blending digital content with the physical space around users.
Spatial computing technology—driven by enhanced processors, ultra-high definition displays and unparalleled global network speeds—promises revolutionary immersive shopping experiences. By integrating 3D digital interfaces mirroring human interactions, spatial computing transcends conventional online shopping encounters.
While the adoption of Apple Vision Pro may begin exclusively with a select set of tech savvy consumers, who are willing to pay a price premium; the arrival of the device signifies a paradigm shift that we have previously seen with other Apple devices like the iPhone. During the coming few years, Apple will do what they do best: they’ll make Vision Pro compatible with mass market needs by giving it an even simpler interface, bringing the price down and marketing the device in a way that brings humanity into technology.
As with the launch of any other Apple device, the early apps in the app store will likely have the highest rate of downloads. Brands, who are not yet already on the platform, have the opportunity to act now and target tech-savvy affluent new customers in a completely new way.
Apple Vision Pro Design and Development Services
Obsess is developing highly visual, interactive and tailored shopping experiences to help brands—like J.Crew, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Mytheresa, Alo Yoga and RIMOWA—revolutionize storytelling and engage consumers digitally like never before.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences. These can include virtual stores, tools to mix-and-match outfits, shop with friends or sales associates from afar—or even bring an outdoor space right into an indoor home. Apple Pay is available to implement on all Apple Vision Pro apps, enabling a seamless checkout.
If you are interested in creating an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
The finest edit in luxury is now transporting users to decadent shopping destinations, like Capri and Paris, via its multi-sensory, highly contextual visionOS app. Mytheresa has partnered with Obsess to launch Mytheresa: Immersive Luxury App for Apple Vision Pro, in alignment with the release date of Apple’s newest spatial computing device. The brand is among the first luxury fashion brands to launch on Apple Vision Pro, and it’s using the device as a new platform to launch exclusive capsule collections and curated edits.
Luxury’s New Era
As one of the first luxury platforms to embrace Apple’s new Vision Pro spatial computing device, Mytheresa is pioneering a new era in digital retail, offering customers an unparalleled shopping experience. The experience merges the tactile beauty of luxury goods with the boundless possibilities of digital innovation.
Imagine stepping into the vibrant streets of Capri or the romantic avenues of Paris, all from the comfort of your home. This is the promise of the Mytheresa app for Apple Vision Pro. Through our collaboration with Mytheresa, we’ve created hyper-realistic environments that transport users to luxury destinations around the globe. In each destination, shoppers can explore exclusive collections and curated edits tailored to the locale, whether it’s chic resort wear perfect for the beach or dazzling party attire for an evening in the city.
Adding Context to Content
Our partnership with Mytheresa goes beyond just visual aesthetics; it’s about crafting a sensory shopping journey that engages customers in a profoundly emotional way. The app introduces an immersive product carousel, allowing users to experience luxury collections within contextual environments.
The immersive carousel transforms the conventional e-commerce grid into a dynamic, engaging experience, highlighting our shared vision of blending technology with luxury retail. Every interaction within the experience is controlled via intuitive hand and eye gestures—adding to the app’s luxe, seamless interface. Likewise, the integration of Apple Pay ensures that purchases are not only secure but effortlessly convenient.
Mytheresa’s iconic yellow packaging and a new exclusive pattern, showcased in the app’s intro and outro scenes, add a touch of elegance and exclusivity that rounds out the luxury spatial shopping experience.
Bespoke Experiences for Top Customers
The Mytheresa app is not a one-time wonder but a gateway to ongoing exclusive collections and capsule launches. It’s an invitation to experience luxury in a context that celebrates the emotion and artistry behind every product.
For Mytheresa’s top customers, this will extend to personalized styling sessions, further personalizing the luxury shopping experience.
Spatial Computing for Luxury Brands and Retailers
This collaboration between Mytheresa and Apple Vision Pro is more than a step forward in digital retail—it’s a leap into a new era of luxury shopping. It’s an invitation to experience the world’s most coveted fashion in a way that’s as immersive and interactive as exploring the destinations they’re inspired by.
The Mytheresa: Immersive Luxury App is available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.
Apple Vision Pro Design and Development Services
Obsess is developing highly visual, interactive and tailored shopping experiences to help luxury brands and retailers, like Mytheresa, revolutionize storytelling and engage consumers digitally like never before.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences. These can include virtual stores, tools to mix-and-match outfits, shop with friends or sales associates from afar—or even bring an outdoor space right into an indoor home. Apple Pay is available to implement on all Apple Vision Pro apps, enabling a seamless checkout.
If you are interested in creating an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
Alo Yoga, in collaboration with Obsess, has launched “alo Sanctuary,” a new visionOS app exclusively designed for Apple’s new spatial computing device, Apple Vision Pro. This app represents a significant advancement in the integration of wellness and retail, offering a first-of-its-kind shopping experience that combines high-definition, hyper realistic meditation environments with the ability to shop Alo Yoga’s premium collections in immersive, contextual 3D spaces.
Inside the alo Sanctuary for Apple Vision Pro
alo Sanctuary leverages the advanced features of Apple Vision Pro to provide users with a shopping experience that is both immersive and innovative. The application features four hyper realistic contextual virtual environments: the beach, mountains, canyons, and jungle. Each setting is tailored to showcase Alo Yoga’s collections in Navy, Midnight Green, Espresso, and Wild Berry, respectively—allowing consumers to visualize the apparel in various outdoor settings.
The environments are enhanced with life-size, styled mannequins, offering an interactive element to the online shopping experience. The app seamlessly blends these virtualized outdoor settings into users’ physical living spaces.
Ultra High Definition Environments and Products
The app’s commitment to an immersive experience doesn’t stop with stunning visuals. Obsess has partnered with Alo to redefine product interaction through the introduction of life-size, styled mannequins within each environment. These mannequins, which users can rotate and interact with, offer a novel way to explore products in detail, mimicking an in-store experience in a digital realm.
Products are rendered at such high definition that a Vision Pro user could physically pull fabrics close enough to see granular weaves and textures, or decipher one spandex type from another. This level of interaction introduces a new dimension to online shopping, making it more engaging and informative.
Scheduled seasonal updates promise to keep the app’s collections and experiences fresh and engaging, encouraging users to return and explore new offerings in the ever-evolving digital sanctuary.
A Marriage of Meditation and Retail
Alo enriches the user journey by integrating elements of wellness directly into the shopping experience. Complimentary meditation exercises, once exclusive to Alo Moves, Alo’s subscription-based wellness platform, are now accessible within the app.
With over 20 different meditation sessions distributed across the environments, users can enjoy a moment of calm, fostering a holistic and soothing shopping journey. This feature underscores Alo’s dedication to promoting wellness, ensuring that users receive not just a product but an experience that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit.
Fashion’s New Era of Spatial Shopping
alo Sanctuary is paving the way for a new era in online shopping, combining immersive technology with wellness—while leveraging spatial storytelling to create deeper and more meaningful connections with their consumers. It transcends the traditional shopping experience by offering moments of tranquility and mindfulness, alongside the opportunity to engage with products in a novel and immersive manner.
The alo Sanctuary app is now available for download on the App Store, exclusively for Apple Vision Pro users.
Apple Vision Pro Design and Development Services
Obsess is developing highly visual, interactive and tailored shopping experiences to help fashion brands, like Alo Yoga, revolutionize storytelling and engage consumers digitally like never before.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences. These can include virtual stores, tools to mix-and-match outfits, shop with friends or sales associates from afar—or even bring an outdoor space right into an indoor home. Apple Pay is available to implement on all Apple Vision Pro apps, enabling a seamless checkout.
If you are interested in creating an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
e.l.f. Cosmetics has become notorious for “firsts” in the beauty industry—and their premiere app for Apple Vision Pro, developed in partnership with Obsess, is no exception. The brand has always prioritized innovative digital experiences and new technology platforms, in order to meet their consumers wherever they are.
Enter: “your best e.l.f.” for Apple Vision Pro—among the first-ever beauty shopping apps for the spatial computing device.
“your best e.l.f.” is not just about buying beauty products; it’s an immersive journey into self-expression and relaxation. Through engaging activities and 3D product visualizations, we’ve worked with e.l.f. to blend retail therapy with self-care to render a virtual escape, which relaxes all the senses.
Enriching Narratives through Environment
Emotional, human connection plays an immense role in customer decision-making—and this is truer than ever for beauty consumers in an increasingly crowded market. Beauty brands, like e.l.f., need a way to distinguish themselves and connect to a generation of consumers who are overwhelmed with choice.
“your best e.l.f.” brings the e.l.f. community together to indulge in a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the brand through immersive storytelling, discovery-driven content and branded games.
The app invites users to embark on a journey of self-expression and relaxation by exploring three distinct virtual environments: Camo Cove, Big Mood and Halo Glow. Each environment represents an e.l.f. Collection available for sale within the app. The environments enable users to visualize e.l.f. products and content at a higher fidelity and detail than has ever been possible with other devices. All in-app products and scenes have been modeled in 3D and rendered at a 4K display from each eye of the device.
A Life-Size Portal into the Brand’s World
Beyond shopping, the “your best e.l.f.” visionOS app serves as a sanctuary for users to engage in mindful activities. The app encourages a holistic approach to beauty, bookended by elements of well-being and creativity.
Within the app, users can engage in relaxing activities such as guided meditations, stretching exercises and an interactive Paint by Numbers game. The Paint by Numbers game results in artwork of animals, which then come to life throughout the experience. Each time that visitors return to the experience, a different animal appears—encouraging repeat visits after users take a break for a moment or for the day.
Designed for a New Era of Spatial Shopping
Leveraging the full capabilities of Apple Vision Pro, the app introduces users to a fully three-dimensional user interface navigable through intuitive hand and eye movements. The app seamlessly blends digital content with a user’s physical space. e.l.f.’s immersive experience is enhanced by progressive immersion (the ability to turn “up” or “down” the level of immersion into a digital environment), spatial audio and a checkout integration with Apple Pay.
The partnership between e.l.f. Cosmetics and Obsess in launching one of the first beauty apps for Apple Vision Pro is more than novel; it’s a step forward for the beauty industry, altogether.
As spatial computing comes into the mainstream dialogue, and related apps become more accessible over time; immersive experiences will quickly go from a nice-to-have for beauty brands, to a necessity in order to meet consumers where they are. “your best e.l.f. reflects e.l.f.’s dedication to connect with their community on their customers’ terms.
“your best e.l.f.” is available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro. In addition to the visionOS app, e.l.f. has partnered with Obsess to create a version of the “your best e.l.f.” experience for all Safari browser users, regardless of their device—underlining the brand’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.
Apple Vision Pro Design and Development Services from Obsess
Obsess is developing highly visual, interactive and tailored shopping experiences to help brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics revolutionize storytelling and engage consumers digitally like never before.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences. These can include virtual stores, tools to mix-and-match outfits, shop with friends or sales associates from afar—or even bring an outdoor space right into an indoor home. Apple Pay is available to implement on all Apple Vision Pro apps, enabling a seamless checkout.
If you are interested in creating an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
J.Crew and Obsess have launched an unprecedented virtual shopping experience: the “J.Crew Virtual Closet” app, exclusively for Apple Vision Pro aligned to the premiere launch of the new device. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first-ever fashion shopping experience to include both a virtual styling closet and the SharePlay feature on Apple’s advanced spatial computer.
A New Era of Immersive Shopping
J.Crew’s forward-thinking approach transforms the conventional shopping experience. The brand’s Virtual Closet for Apple Vision Pro allows customers to immerse themselves in a 3D shopping environment, showcasing J.Crew’s latest collections in ultra-high definition. This immersive experience, conceptualized, designed and developed by Obsess, is not just a leap in e-commerce but a whole new world of interactive shopping.
SharePlay for Digital Clienteling
The J.Crew Virtual Closet is among the first shopping apps on Apple Vision Pro to utilize SharePlay, a visionOS feature that will up-level digital clienteling as we know it.
SharePlay includes a powerful set of features for shared experiences while on a FaceTime call through Vision Pro. The J.Crew app leverages a digitized version of a person (and their subtle facial expressions and gestures) to allow them to activate one-on-one video calls with J.Crew’s expert stylists or host group video chats to get others’ opinions on looks. When one person creates an outfit, the other person can see it—and they can react, comment and give feedback in real time. The subtlety of the persona’s interaction creates a hyperrealistic shared experience, making digital shopping feel more social than ever.
A Reimagined Clueless Closet
J.Crew’s concept takes all the promise of Cher’s closet from the 1990s film Clueless and transforms it into something actually usable for consumers—a feat that the retail industry has been seeking for quite some time.
Vision Pro users can create outfit combinations for different occasions interactively and at life-size scale. Shoppers use intuitive hand and eye movements to browse different products and looks. Apple Pay integration enables all looks to be seamlessly added to cart and purchased directly from the app.
High Definition Details
The J.Crew visionOS app offers a curated selection of products, enabling customers to scrutinize the texture and quality of materials like never before. A Vision Pro user can pull up a piece of clothing or an accessory so close to their face that they can see a product’s granular weaves, textures, folds, creases and dyes. The level of detail is even clearer than if a person was doing the same examination in real life with a naked eye.
This app also includes realistic background scenes to inspire and guide users in updating their wardrobes. For example, resort looks can be visualized within the context of a 360-degree immersive beach setting.
Why It Matters
The J.Crew Virtual Closet for Apple Vision Pro is more than just a technological advancement; it’s a portal into the next generation of fashion retail. Combining social proof, high-definition contextual visuals, personalization and easy checkout—J.Crew and Obsess have ushered in a new era of immersive shopping, blending the physical and digital worlds in a way that has never been done before.
The J.Crew Apple Vision Pro app is available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.
Apple Vision Pro Design and Development Services from Obsess
Obsess is developing highly visual, interactive and tailored shopping experiences to help brands like J.Crew revolutionize storytelling and engage consumers digitally like never before.
Brands can work with Obsess to conceptualize, design and develop their visionOS apps and immersive browser-based experiences. These can include virtual stores, tools to mix-and-match outfits, shop with friends or sales associates from afar—or even bring an outdoor space right into an indoor home. Apple Pay is available to implement on all Apple Vision Pro apps, enabling a seamless checkout.
If you are interested in creating an experience for Apple Vision Pro for your brand, book a demo or send a message to contact@obsessvr.com today.
In case you missed it, our Founder and CEO, Neha Singh, sat down with James Kotecki in the C Space Studio at CES 2024 to discuss how brands are utilizing Obsess’ technology, the current landscape of immersive experiences and what brands/retailers can look forward to with Obsess.
How Obsess is Bringing Gamification into Shopping
Obsess is creating immersive shopping experiences that put the consumer in the experience of the brand, in a whole 3D branded environment that brings gaming into shopping. Similar to online gaming, consumers can browse through the environment and navigate through them.
Q: A traditional flat screen, in VR/AR, or all of the above?
The majority of our users are on their mobile devices so that’s where we are mobile-first, mobile-optimized, and it’s all accessible through the web. It’s super easy to access, making VRvery accessible to users and to brands. Also, we launched on the Oculus Meta Quest and we are launching with the Apple Vision Pro.
Q: Walk me through what this experience would look like. If you are able to share a specific example or name—What am I actually experiencing?
We work with brands from a variety of verticals. We work with fashion brands like Dior, J.Crew, Ralph Lauren, Crocs. Beauty brands like K18, L’Oreal, Charlotte Tilbury. We work with CPG brands, we work with Disney.
To give you one specific example, we launched with Crate & Barrel recently. They created a virtual store that was based on their new flagship store that they opened in NYC in Flatiron. Essentially this is a fantastical version of that store, so you start with a bird’s eye view over Manhattan in the fall, go in and you have this photorealistic environment in 3D. You’re transported into a version of that store instead of seeing a grid of thumbnails of products.
You can actually go into the living room and you see couches, you can press a button to change the entire color scheme, and can change to see different products. Then you go into the dining room and there’s all the plates kind of flying off the shelves and creating this beautiful tablescape. You can click on any product and see all the details and add it to your cart right there. So it’s a very interactive experience. A lot of the experiences also have games, where you’re learning about the brand or products at every step as you experience the store and that engages customers even further.
Q: Are you the team actually digitally creating the look? That’s what Obsess is bringing to the table?
We provide the software platform this 3D rich technology runs on, on a web browser. We often also provide the services to actually create the environment. In some cases our brands might have their agencies do it or they might have their interior retail designers do it—otherwise we can. Typically we get creative direction from the brand though.
The Novelty and Utility of Immersive E-Commerce
The contextual piece virtual stores offer is hugely important; in traditional e-commerce consumers are devoid of context. Contextualizing e-commerce makes shoppers see things they weren’t looking for. We often see that our average order value from our virtual stores is higher than typical e-commerce because people might notice something that they weren’t necessarily looking for and then they purchase it.
The discovery-driven phenomenon was previously only in stores. In traditional e-commerce that doesn’t happen because it’s directed at the consumer.
Q: It’s interesting to think about because some people might think about VR as a space to get lost. It sounds like what you’re describing is a bit more nuanced and balanced, which is using those environments as a way to bring back to the real world, and how to create the real life reality of what you actually might want.
At the moment all the products in our experiences are all physical products, so what you buy is something real that you’re getting in hand.
Q: It may be brand dependent—creating something that seems like a store because you could theoretically create any kind of environment. Not every brand might necessarily need it to be a store, so how do you think about that psychologically and what are you aiming for there?
We want to enable brands to express their creativity in whatever way makes sense for the particular collection, for the particular season or brand. A lot of customers create completely fantastical environments that don’t look anything like their retail stores. We actually launched a virtual store for Taylor Swift that is a Christmas tree farm which is where she grew up and the products, you basically shop them off of it. We have customers who have created underwater experiences, you can create a planet if you want. Many of our customers in beauty want to talk about the science behind their products so you’re in a lab. It’s totally dependent on what makes sense and we can also test that with the data that we have—what works and what doesn’t.
What to Look Forward to with Obsess
We firmly believe the future of the internet is 3D because our real world is 3D. The reason we’re used to these flat screens is just because of limitations of technology.
But as chips are getting more powerful, PSUs process faster, our digital interface becomes closer and closer to the real world. All around us, it’s 3D and ultimately our digital interface will become very much like that. These are the starting points to that ultimate future
Q: What are you most excited about for what’s next? Obviously Apple’s technology is potentially the big one for the year, but is there a piece of technology or a thing that you are waiting to click into place to take you to the next level?
For us, the biggest sort of next big shift in this on the horizon is personalization. What it means in a 3D space, is that you can walk into a virtual store and it will greet you, you would have products based on your purchasing history, your interests have been by browsing other places. The complexity there is rendering this dynamically in 3D for every person. That’s the technology we are building now and that’s really ultimately our vision and whatever device you experience that on, we want the experience to be personalized to you. Today the experience that you get is the same as what everyone else is getting and that’s going to change.
Q: Another buzzword is AI here at CES 2024; how are you thinking about using AI in any interesting or novel ways that you want to highlight?
We have actually incorporated Gen AI in our production process of these experiences. In the cases where we are designing the experiences for brands, what Gen AI has helped us do is create options very quickly for brands. Doing all of that in 3D takes much longer. So now we can actually get that whole process down with the help of AI and finalize what the brand wants. That has actually cut down our production time and our go to market time for virtual stores.
The other thing that we are using it for is to create more content in the stores. We see from our data that the more content we can add to the experiences, the higher the purchase conversion rate is. One of our stores is a baby registry, there you can plug your due date and it’ll use Gen AI to find all the names that are most common for that date and things like that. So you can imagine the possibilities of what someone would have had to do manually on the brand side to produce that content, now it’s all automated and we can make the experience more interesting.
Q: Do you have other human characters like an AI shopkeeper that’s going to interact with me? Or is there a philosophy around that? Is that also brand dependent?
One of the ways that’s super successful and people really engage with, is having real people there as avatars who are shot on a green screen background. We often have influences or the brand designer in, introducing you and welcoming you into the experience and that gets super high engagement. Now what we are doing is creating more 3D avatars of influencers who can be in the space, AI sales associates who can help you answer your questions.