Move over diamonds, VR is a girl’s new best friend.
Last week, luxury diamond retailer Swarovksi announced it would be partnering with Mastercard and tech company YouVisit to provide an all-new virtual reality shopping experience.
The app allows users to browse the Atelier Swarovski interior décor line, full of delicate Swarovski crystals. For those with means, this VR experience will allow customers better interaction with the pieces they want to purchase without going to a store, and for others, this is the chance of a lifetime to experience a high-end crystal shopping experience.
By simply using the smartphone app and placing their phone into a compatible mobile VR headset, customers will be able to enter the crystal-filled shopping extravaganza. The collaboration between Swarovski and Mastercard will also mean customers can check out with ease through Mastercard’s interface.
“As our e-commerce business continues to grow, this partnership allows consumers a fully immersive shopping opportunity to interact with the product and then purchase seamlessly within the experience,” said Nadja Swarovski, member of the executive board of Swarovski Crystal Business, in a public statement. “The cutting-edge VR technology allows consumers to fully realize scale and engage more deeply with design details before making a purchase – anywhere.”
The app full emerges the user into a fully decorated home and can browse through the collection by moving their heads. Within the virtual world, users can carefully examine each piece—reading descriptions and learning stories behind each object.
When they have decided to purchase a particular piece, they can add it to the cart by focusing their gaze on the “Masterpass button” that appears at the bottom of the product description.
Swarovski hopes this move will appeal to younger people, who tend to early adopters of technology.
This isn’t the first time a luxury brand has entered the VR realm. In 2015 Dior released their own headset, Dior Eyes, which allowed users to step behind the scenes of exclusive fashion shows and to shop the company’s new lines.
In February Coach partnered with Facebook to create virtual backstages in select locations that similarly offered a behind the scenes look at fashion shows and new products.
Image credit: Youvisit
