Could m-commerce be the new e-commerce? Studio Blup (the content-creation arm of LAB Group), Kylie Cosmetics, and Boots are certainly betting on it with the recent release of Kylie Virtual World. It’s a move indicative of the growing consumer demand for mobile-optimized shopping: recent global sales on smartphones topped $1,351 million, and Boots reported a fivefold increase in purchase intent in comparison to average UK e-commerce. To date, Kylie Virtual World has seen over 25.5K unique visitors, 10% of which added products to their carts.
“Shoppable AR experiences are at the forefront of the rapidly-building trend of mobile and social commerce,” comments Laura Lane, Chief Marketing Officer at Studio Blup. “As brands recognise the opportunities presented by m-commerce, technology is opening up new possibilities for end-to-end customer experiences. Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) can play a vital role in the mobile commerce space, adding a more fluid and valuable element to move the experience forward for brands.” BeautyMatter spotlighted the merging of AR and VR as one of the main drivers fueling global beauty purchases, and Global Market Estimates predicts a 25% CAGR over the next five years for global application of augmented and virtual reality in the beauty industry.
The convenient and playful nature of mobile shopping, paired with increasingly sophisticated interfaces, means more shoppers are turning to purchasing on the go. Kylie Virtual World, which Studio Blup created in partnership with creative agency Gold Sheep, has been launched in tandem with Kylie Glam Park, a four-day installation in London’s Covent Garden that will offer individual consultations for hair and skincare products, complimentary giveaways, and other interactive activities such as games and social media sharing options.
In-store as well as with the mobile option, Studio Blup has situated a digital screen which enables virtual try-ons via a scannable QR code which activates smartphone cameras. The camera in turn mirrors and projects the viewer’s face onto the digital screen, where they can then experiment with various Kylie Lip Kit shades. All products are presented with an “add to cart” button for a seamless purchasing experience. Given the full integration of the experience into Boots.com, SKUs are immediately matched between the virtual and physical world. Aside from this feature, the 360-degree virtual world contains how-to videos and shop-the-look opportunities for Jenner’s Instagram posts. Every activity is housed inside a different room of the AR experience. Kylie Virtual World is not only an all-access alternative for those unable to visit the temporary UK-based activation, but also a beacon of seamless mobile shopping experiences that combine play and purchase into one smooth interface.
“It's been a great opportunity working with Studio BLUP to bring such engaging and relevant tech to customers shopping on Boots.com via this Virtual Reality World,” comments Ruana Di Marco, Head of Digital Content & Activation at Coty. “Updating the experience now to reflect the Glam Park event in London makes it even more meaningful and shows our commitment to staying relevant and agile. Delivering this experience has been incredibly fulfilling and we look forward to continuing to combine tech and commerce whenever it makes sense for our brands."
While the gamification and customization of the shopping experience in these AR and VR formats may be geared more towards Gen Z shippers, they still hold plenty of buzzworthy appeal for older generations, and ultimately—if devised with a smooth purchase transaction and fitting brand narrative in mind—present a magnetic pull towards the virtual product shelf while increasing brand engagement times.
