Walmart test lets customers shop a curated, virtual apartment

Walmart announced this week that it's introducing a new way to shop on its site. Starting today, customers can take a virtual shopping tour of an apartment that includes around 70 items sold by the retailer. The various products, from both national brands and Walmart's own labels, are noted by a dot. Hover your mouse over it to see what it is and a link will take you right to its product page. You can explore the curated rooms on your computer or check it out in VR with your phone and Google Cardboard or a Samsung Gear VR headset.

Walmart has been adding a number of new services to its stores as it aims to compete with Amazon. It has been adding Pickup Towers to more locations and testing automated kiosks. It's working with Postmates and DoorDash to provide grocery deliveries. It has also been working on a service that would let subscribers place orders via text message. The company is also reportedly in talks with Microsoft to test out its Amazon Go-like cashierless store technology.

The new virtual tour experience that Walmart is currently testing is probably not the only VR feature we'll see from the retail giant. Earlier this year, it bought VR startup Spatialand, a firm that had already been working with Walmart's Store No. 8 tech incubator.

Via: Reuters

Source: Walmart



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