Chinese ecommerce giant, Alibaba, will be introducing the metaverse to its online luxury shopping platform. Alibaba’s upscale marketplace, Tmall Luxury Pavilion, will be hosting an augmented reality fashion show with a metaverse pass that will give luxury shoppers deals with select designer brands.
The platform already offers 3D shopping, as well as AR and VR try-on features. Ali Baba has invested in mixed reality software and hardware of all kinds as it prepares for changes in consumer shopping habits among younger generations.
Janet Wang, head of Alibaba’s luxury division, said, “Before ‘metaverse’ became a buzzword, we had already transformed this buzzword into a commercial reality. The digital world can provide consumers with the same, or even better, shopping experiences with luxury-brand identities than in the real world.”
The company said more than 20 brands have released digital collectibles for avatars to wear and hosted virtual fashion shows within the Tmall Luxury Pavilion’s metaverse. Many of the same brands also offered video consultants who give fashion advice to VIP customers.
Wang added, “We saw how quickly brands embraced digital transformation and consumers increased their online consumption. We all know how digitally savvy Chinese consumers are and how fast they’re able to adapt to new technologies. That’s why we’re introducing a whole new meta experience.”
