Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been a major shift in how people purchase goods and services. From groceries to luxury items, consumers prefer to shop digitally instead of personally visiting a store. This rise in demand has already altered many facets of online shopping as suppliers are racing to offer competitive benefits to their consumers. From augmented reality, like creating a virtual showroom, to detailing the specifications of a product, brands are leaving no stone unturned to offer customers an immersive experience.

Some globally renowned brands like Roblox, Nvidia, Epic Games, and Microsoft are adopting these innovations because of their amazing features, portability, and simplicity. This will eventually lead to the further development of an exclusive online environment beyond a social media platform. The social media giant Facebook has begun experimenting with VR and AR, referred to as the “metaverse.” People can come together, study, perform jobs, play video games, buy items or services online, and even transact in a virtual space while at home.

The metaverse is still in its infancy, yet its prospects have created a buzz in the market. The metaverse is an emerging technology expected to become a billion-dollar industry in the next two years. Facebook is already experimenting with this technology to create a more immersive virtual world for its users. According to a blog published by NFT Brands Inc, this is further moving the needle for other tech giants to blend virtual reality with technological innovations.

The next level experiment with the metaverse will require AI to process and store a massive amount of data. This requirement indicates that the metaverse directly depends on AI technology to create modern tools and pattern recognition methodologies. The metaverse is expected to play multiple roles in e-commerce, taking online shopping to a new level. This might include 3D showrooms, avatar characters, and other futuristic virtual fashion experiences.

Fashion brands are already working to combine AI and the metaverse to boost real-time communication and virtual showroom experience for consumers. Besides this, the metaverse can also track a customer’s browsing habits, purchases, preferences, and demographics to offer enhanced customized suggestions and increase overall sales. This will create omnichannel retailing, eliminating geographical barriers for shoppers. With the metaverse, fashion brands can introduce features like virtual dressing rooms and 3D product visualizations and enable virtual product trials for customers.

3D avatar characters that have been storming the metaverse gaming space lately will also soon be seen in metaverse shopping. Shoppers can create their own 3D avatar characters that match their look for an easy trial of clothes and accessories. Besides customizing looks with attire and hairstyles, people can also try cosmetics on avatars to check the product’s suitability. 3D characters in metaverse shopping can be virtual mannequins for the online store as well as customers.

E-commerce brands have already introduced virtual clothing, which will continue to augment virtual reality with the use of the metaverse and AI. Users will get virtual closets to store old clothes and get suggestions on more fashionable garments. This will help AI associates track customer behavior for more tailored recommendations.

The metaverse will continue to offer unprecedented opportunities for online shopping and artistic expression. With the growing demand for virtual fashion, the metaverse will bring style-generating apps, a 3D showroom, and digital garments to bridge the gap between real and online shopping experiences.

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