Bloomingdale’s 150th-anniversary holiday virtual store is a virtual mall that gives beloved brands like Chanel, Nespresso and Ralph Lauren unique locations for shoppers to explore within a virtual mall. Bloomingdale's 150 is described as "a first-of-its-kind multi-brand virtual shopping experience" and each space promises to transport virtual visitors to a fantastical destination. While Chanel’s outlet is set on the moon, Nespresso recreates the experience of a Parisian cafe and Ralph Lauren invites virtual mall visitors into a magical holiday forest.
As Bloomingdale’s is celebrating its 150th anniversary, it is exploring a new way for brands to supplement their brick-and-mortar operations during the busy holiday shopping season to enhance insights and experiment with new layout designs.
While providing a playful way for shoppers to interact with favorite brands, this technology collects valuable data to measure product engagement, demographics, stock demand and the effectiveness of layouts.
Multi-Brand Virtual Malls
Bloomingdale’s Virtual Experience Spotlights Beloved Brands
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Malls - The rise of multi-brand virtual malls provides an opportunity for brands to experiment with new layout designs and collect valuable data to measure product engagement, demographics, and stock demand.
2. Fantastical Destinations - Virtual shopping experiences can transport visitors to 'fantastical destinations' such as a holiday forest or a Parisian cafe, providing brands with an opportunity to offer unique experiences to their customers.
3. Data Collection - The use of technology in virtual shopping experiences allows for the collection of valuable data on customer behavior, which can help brands optimize layouts, understand stock demand, and track demographics.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Retail - The virtual mall experience offers fashion retailers the opportunity to experiment with layout design and understand customer preferences when interacting with luxury brands.
2. Retail Technology - The development of multi-brand virtual malls provides an opportunity for companies specializing in retail technology to assist brands in creating unique and engaging experiences for customers.
3. Food and Beverage - The virtual mall experience allows food and beverage brands to recreate unique experiences, such as a Parisian cafe, providing customers with a new way to connect with their product offerings.