How virtual tours and e-commerce can help retailers

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, foot traffic on the main street is at an all-time low, making it very difficult for retailers to attract the kind of traffic they are used to, especially during a critical season like winter holidays. But, instead of trying to attract customers by simply lowering prices or staging massive sales, innovative companies around the world are using 3D virtual tours with e-commerce to reinvent or improve the shopping experience.

Knowing how important the coming period is for retailers, here are five ways virtual tours can help save retail sales:

1. Transport people to your store instantly. At its most basic level, creating a virtual visit is a great way to transport people to your store so they can get a feel for the products you offer in a warmer, more integrated environment than most shopping sites that only showcase products on a white background. With 3D, you can create immersive experiences that represent your brand, which helps build long-term value and loyalty for your business. Here is a great example of the VICOSTONE CANADA store in Montreal brought to life through a 360 virtual tour.
2. Add e-commerce. By using virtual tours and adding e-commerce, people can continue to buy your products even if they can't visit your store in person. A 3D digital twin, combined with e-commerce, like this store in Montreal, is a great example of how the shopping experience is enhanced through a virtual tour by tagging each product with details and a link to buy .
3. Improve storytelling. A 3D virtual tour is not only an opportunity to introduce your products in a more natural environment, you can also enhance product storytelling by integrating images, sound, video and text to tell a much richer story. Humanscale, maker of beautiful furniture for your office, is an impressive example.
4. Attract an international audience. One of the best things about creating a virtual experience for your store is that you can attract people from all over the world. This means you won't be limited to people who know you or see your store on the street. By combining your 3D model with modern digital marketing and social media, you can attract people from all over the world to shop in your virtual store. Here is a store in Montreal that is fully accessible to anyone with a browser, wherever they are in the world.
5. It's easy to set up. Matterport seamlessly integrates with Google Street View to make visiting your store easier.

Panosphere 360 Virtual Tour Montreal Matterport 3D