Magazine_BEAST_2018_Edition_11_complet.compressed

#Technology | Virtual Reality
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The thinking behind the product is twofold:
First, three quarters of the world’s 25 million active
eCommerce sites use industry standard Content
Management Systems (CMS) — Woocommerce, Magento,
Prestashop and Shopify. Similarly to a WordPress site where
an extra functionality
can be added with a new
plugin, the E2VR product
is a module that can be
easily installed to add a
VR functionality.
And second, even where
VR capability does exist,
there’s the issue of
paucity of VR content.
The E2VR module gets
round this problem by
using an eMerchant’s
own content to populate
its VR store. Given the
vast number of active
eCommerce sites, lack
of eCommerce product
content is not an issue.
«We won’t be replacing
the eCommerce site,»
says Manoel, «rather
adding a VR functionality.
In the short to medium
term this would be part of a marketing strategy for a site
to differentiate itself from other platforms. The fact is
that eCommerce is a highly competitive environment and
at every stage of the buying process, the UXs in the vast
majority of cases are pretty much identical.»
Similarly to a WordPress plugin, integration of the
E2VR module involves installation, configuration and
communication, which will be a «Click here for VR» button
on a eCommerce’s site Home Page.
A user will be able to access the VR functionality with
a VR headset and either a high performing laptop or
desktop, or by slotting a cellphone into the headset.
The technology requires that the cellphone has an
accelerometer, a gyroscope and sufficient processing
capacity (equivalent to iPhone 6 and later models). It
will also be able to detect whether the hardware is VR
compatible and offer that option if appropriate, or the
shopping experience in 3D if not.
The company is due to begin beta testing in April with
three companies: Mazer Shop, an eShop specialising in
innovative high tech products; a printing company; and a
boating products firm.
Manoel’s business plan is to then sell his product on
eCommerce module marketplaces and through web
agencies and freelancers, pricing it initially at just under
$1,000. As sales increases and newer versions of the
E2VR module are released, he plans for the sale price to
come down.
A serial entrepreneur with a background in software
development, he says that it’s the module’s flexibility
and adaptability to any eCommerce platform that make it
unique. He says that there are other players in the market,
but they focus on extremely costly made-to-measure VR
solutions, such as the Google team-up with Avametric to
develop a VR dressing room for the Gap clothing chain
that is housed within an app.
«Our module will work for any site,» says Manoel, «plus,
from the user’s point of view there’ll be no need to
download an app. The entire VR functionality will be
accessible via any web browser.»
He’s convinced that eCommerce is rapidly approaching
a VR tipping point.
Although Alibaba’s VR experience on Singles Day in
2017 was somewhat muted, the heavy investment in VR
technology by the Chinese eCommerce giant is according
to Forbes Magazine «a harbinger» of the things to come.
It also reports that eBay, IKEA, LEGO and Häagen-Daas have
begun to invest in VR and that Goldman Sachs estimates
that by 2025, VR retail is set to be worth $1.6 billion,
with 32 million users.
Another signal of this coming change is around headset
technology. UX is set to improve with the advent of
standalone headsets that don’t require a cellphone, such
as Facebook’s Oculus Rift, Google LG’s Daydream and
HTC’s Vive Focus.
«In 2017, there were only a handful of tweets that
mentioned VR and eCommerce,» says Manoel. «Today,
the topic generates thousands of tweets and has dedicated
hashtags — #vrcommerce and #vcommerce — as well as
increasing numbers of trends around the subject. It’s not
surprising we’re still in a period of skepticism around VR
and eCommerce. This is totally normal. It’s always been so
with cutting edge innovation.»
BEAST MAGAZINE #11