Virtual Reality

Meta, formerly Facebook, announced Tuesday that it would open its first physical store next month. The social media giant said in a blog post Monday that the store, which will be located in Burlingame, Calif., would be "a space to discover Meta Portal, Ray-Ban Stories, and Meta Quest 2 and try them out in person."…

Purpose-driven marketing has become a bit of a buzzword (like omnichannel … don’t get me started). However, with an overwhelming 94 percent of consumers saying they value purpose-driven companies, it's imperative for marketers to authentically communicate their brand’s story. These values need to be transparent and reflected across the organization to work cross-functionally. Whether it's…

A little over a year ago, McKinsey announced that COVID-19 crammed 10 years worth of expected growth in e-commerce into just 90 days (a claim I think is open for debate). While the world focused on e-commerce, spectacular growth was actually occurring in another part of the market: Web 3.0. It’s fair to say that…

It feels like the ongoing non-fungible token (NFT) boom has touched every industry. Whether it’s in the auto, real estate, media, retail, sports or entertainment sector, brands of all types are racing to join the NFT party. Where NFTs fit in sports or gaming is fairly intuitive, as those industries have long cherished collectibles and…

The metaverse is here. In fact, it has been for quite some time. While most of us may have just learned of the term “metaverse,” those born in 1997 and after (Gen Z and Alpha) have grown up with it. For them, the idea of interacting, learning, conversing and even buying in a virtual universe…

In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Marie Albiges and Kristina Stidham discuss an article recently published by Total Retail titled “How Brands Can Capture Consumers in the Metaverse,” authored by Neha Singh, CEO and founder of Obsess. The emerging metaverse is a growing focus for brands as it undoubtedly poses huge opportunities for…

Following Facebook, Inc.’s name change to Meta Platforms, Inc. and Microsoft’s acquisition of video game holding company Activision Blizzard, the metaverse — i.e., the 3D virtual universe users navigate with individualized avatars to play games, socialize, learn, and attend events — undoubtedly poses huge opportunities for businesses. But what does this connected world mean for…

CVS Health is looking to be the first pharmacy in the metaverse. The drugstore and health services company filed for a trademark to sell virtual goods, NFTs and provide healthcare services, joining major retailers like Walmart and Nike. In its filing with U.S. Patent Trade Office, CVS is looking to trademark its logo and to provide an…

Merchants and brands say they’re entering the metaverse by releasing non-fungible token (NFT) projects or buying land in virtual worlds like The Sandbox and Decentraland. The reality is neither brands nor NFT owners are in the metaverse because it hasn’t been built. They're exploring digital worlds, sure, but we can't have multiple "metaverses." And as…

A lot has changed when it comes to shopping over the last 18 months. Shopping in-store is still an option, but we know more consumers are turning to online shopping (70 percent of U.S. adults have purchased something online in the last month). Retailers are adapting to the ever-growing e-commerce boom and are investing in…