Virtual storefront by Crate and Barrel now online
Crate & Barrel Unveils Immersive Virtual Store Experience
In a groundbreaking move for the brand, Crate & Barrel has launched its first virtual store in partnership with Obsess. This digital shopping destination offers a unique, interactive experience for customers, allowing them to explore and personalize their purchases in an engaging virtual environment.
The virtual store is among the largest fully 3D-rendered spaces Obsess has created to date, featuring over 450 products and eight rooms. It replicates Crate and Barrel's newly opened flagship store at 881 Broadway in New York City's Flatiron neighborhood. The separate shopping rooms cater to various categories, including dining, kitchen, living room, botanical shop, and Crate & Kids.
Visitors to the virtual store can connect with the Design Desk for free design and trade services with the company's design experts. They can also schedule a free appointment, both in-store and virtually, to further customize their shopping experience.
Interactive personalization is at the heart of this virtual store. Customers can build out product selections tailored to their taste, visualizing a sofa, living room set, or even a bouquet with the brand's selection of vases and botanicals.
This move by Crate & Barrel follows a growing trend among leading fashion and furniture brands, who are embracing virtual stores with personalization, AI, VR, and NFTs to shape the future of eCommerce. Brands like ASOS, Wayfair, and those collaborating with platforms like Perfect Corp and Insider are key adopters of this new approach.
These virtual stores offer tailored recommendations, virtual try-ons adapted to individual body shapes, AI chatbots for personalized support, and immersive styling advice. They also foster community-driven co-creation via virtual polls and design competitions. NFTs are part of monetization strategies, although sustainable models beyond initial drops remain a key challenge.
In the world of retail, the future is virtual, and Crate & Barrel is at the forefront of this revolution. The brand's virtual store is not just a shopping destination; it's an immersive, interactive experience that helps global customers envision and experience the new physical flagship in NYC.
Obss has partnered with various companies this year, including Elizabeth Arden, Crocs, Laneige, and J. Crew. Last week, J. Crew launched a holiday version of its virtual store, themed as a snow lodge for women's apparel and a ski chalet for men's, featuring an AI card generator. As more brands embrace this technology, the virtual retail landscape is set to become even more dynamic and personalized in the years to come.
- The increasing integration of AI and virtual reality in eCommerce is making stores more immersive, as demonstrated by Crate & Barrel's new virtual store partnership with Obsess.
- With the virtual store, Crate & Barrel offers home-and-garden enthusiasts the ability to personalize their purchases and interact with design experts, similar to the personalized services available in physical stores.
- As technology continues to transform retail, brands like Wayfair and ASOS are adopting AI, VR, and NFTs to provide tailored recommendations, virtual try-ons, personalized support, and immersive styling advice, fostering a more engaging shopping experience.
- In the future, virtual stores and partnerships with companies like Obsess could become a norm, making the retail industry more dynamic and personalized, potentially revolutionizing the trade of goods and lifestyle products.
