Bloomingdale’s goes all-in on metaverse with new virtual store

During New York Fashion Week in September, a new virtual store designed by Emperia will be open for business.

Virtual department stores have been around for a long time. You might remember eBay doing similar things in the past. The concept is something that has been worked on for a long time by the company.

The department store has been experimenting with virtual fashion shows and interactive windows over the past decade, but the 150th anniversary gave them the chance to think bigger and put their customers front-and-center.

Berman said that they were able to see the potential of creating a virtual shopping experience which was a natural progression of their legacy.

Some of the brands that will be featured in the virtual store are Polo Polo Lauren, David Yurman, MCM, Byredo and Baccarat. Berman said that the department store can offer more than just physical space in the future.

Berman said that the company creating a presence in the metaverse now is about leaning in on multi-generational customers and providing new experiences based on how different generations prefer to shop.

Virtual showrooms in the metaverse provide an opportunity for customers to have an engaging, immersive experience that connects them to the brand and our store while also enabling us to see what users are most interested in through unique data insights. The metaverse is an extension of what Bloomingdale's has been doing for over a century.

Tiffany and Gucci’s dip into crypto is a balance of reputation and revenue