The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how society approaches human interaction. Disheartened by separation for health and safety concerns, consumers missed the in-person shopping experience and the human connection that came with it. As Meta saw people's need for connection, it leaned into technology to bridge the gap.
Martin Gilliard, head of the Meta Store, joins this episode of Retail Gets Real to discuss the utility of its innovations, growing the metaverse and opportunities for the future of retail.
Meta opened a store in May to sell the hardware that is “transforming how people communicate through virtual reality, augmented reality, and other gadgets like the Ray-Ban smart glasses and communication portal,” Gilliard said. This technology allows users to attend lectures and meetings from home, communicate across networks and “be fully present in the experience while being able to share it with multiple people.”
When consumers shop at the Meta Store, they are in realistic environments, designed for them to learn how to use technology in the same way they would in their daily life. “Buying, everyone wants to be efficient. And shopping needs to be about the experience,” Gilliard said. “What we built was an amazing shopping experience for people to understand how to connect to the metaverse through our technology.”
Shifting the focus away from efficient buying to efficient shopping, the metaverse will allow retailers to bring the excitement and comfort of the physical shopping experience into the digital world. Consumers will have access to more products and retail can redefine the shopping experience — bringing opportunities for collaboration and innovation across industries.
Tune into the episode to learn more about how the Meta Store is delivering better consumer experiences through technology and the possibilities open to all retailers in the metaverse.
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