Cotton on Group and Linen House exploring VR shopping

Cotton On Group and Linen House are stepping into the world of virtual reality (VR) creating an immersive experience for shoppers.

Leveraging Australian VR brand Fidelity, both brands are able to virtually experience their stores to better merchandise their products.

Rob Hede, general manager, Cotton On Brands at Cotton On Group said the retailer initially used the technology for internal team training.

“It allowed us to share store layouts and customer journeys with our global team, with more than 10,000 team members able to virtually walk through a store and hear from visual merchandise and product teams via training videos and execute their own stores,” he said.

Hede said he is “keen” to expand this trial from internal to customer facing and bring physical brand experience to new customers across the world.

“We see this technology as a great value add to existing customers, showing outfitting solutions and accessories to the categories they are shopping,” he added.

Jonnie McLean, chief operating officer and director at Linen House said the VR experience is a “great technology” to introduce for a business like theirs.

“From a wholesale perspective, it creates the buyer an opportunity to ‘showroom shop’ with clarity, and detail, while doing so from the luxury of their own office, in their own time,” he said.

“Alternatively, our retail side of the business is able to showcase our in-store product, providing customers the in-store experience without having to leave their lounge rooms. There is no doubt this technology enhances consumer experience and will continue to shape the way people shop online.”

Fidelity is currently exploring innovative features such as virtual trying on clothes through full-body scanners. These enhancements aim to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds, offering customers an interactive shopping experience.

Following a successful capital raise, Fidelity has a patent pending for its cutting-edge VR shopping platform.

According to Fidelity, its platform is used to enhancing the shopping experience through personal electronic devices.

Jackson Meyer, founder, Fidelity said, “We are thrilled to partner with two of Australia’s leading retailers, Cotton On Group and Linen House.

"This collaboration not only marks a pivotal moment for our company but also signals a seismic shift in the way customers engage with online shopping. By merging technology and retail, we are enabling a new era of customer experience.”

Fidelity hopes to onboard its first B2C e-commerce customer by the end of this year.