Some 58 per cent of consumer electronic shoppers say that they’d be willing to shop in the metaverse to buy their gadgets, according to a new report from future retail agency Outform.
The research reveals that nearly 45 per cent of consumer electronic shoppers who are open to the metaverse believe exploring and evaluating products through it will be the future of shopping.
In addition, 41 per cent say that it’s the most convenient way to shop going forward.
The report also found that elements that will become the every day in the metaverse have become paramount to informing the purchase decisions of consumer electronics shoppers.
A further 79 per cent of consumer electronics shoppers are willing to use AR tools in-store to explore and evaluate products, with 73 per cent saying the same for VR and 67 per cent expecting virtual try-before-you-buy experiences so that they can test products.
The research also makes clear the indispensable role of the smartphone when it comes to validating in-store shopping for tech.
Some 77 per cent say that they rely on phones to make purchase decisions in-store, with 55 per cent using them to access customer reviews and 54 per cent doing so to conduct further research of the products that they’re interested in.
“We know gadget lovers are willing to queue early doors for the latest product drop and are eager to experiment with the newest innovations,” Outform group managing director EMEA Simon Hathaway said.
“Our study shows they’re ahead of the curve in how they shop too, with virtual technologies, AR and VR now driving a greater propensity to purchase.
“In bricks & mortar stores, smartphones are now a linchpin to sales for any consumer electronic brand or retailer.
“The ability to ensure shoppers can access contextually relevant content to make a purchase – everything from customer reviews to product demos – through mobile-friendly tools such as QR will be an important driver in 2023.”