Real-world shopping shines as a shared activity, but translating that to the internet remains elusive. Even with the rise of social commerce, liveshopping and other digital features, e-commerce remains an isolating, solitary experience.
Charlotte Tilbury wants to change that and is the first to use use retail-oriented augmented reality firm Obsess’ new “Shop With Friends” feature, which was introduced on Monday and allows people to peruse the beauty brand’s virtual store together as a shared experience.
A dedicated section of the site, Virtual Beauty Gifting Wonderland offers a 360-degree environment featuring products, information, tips and tricks, recommendations and consultation. Consumers can check it out on their own or invite friends and family to join them.
Founder, president, chairman and chief creative officer Charlotte Tilbury MBE considers it “the center of the Charlotte Tilbury metaverse this holiday season.
“It combines all the sparkle and retail theater of our stores with the ease and portability of the digital universe to unveil a truly immersive Charlotte Tilbury experience,” she explained. “Customers will be guided by my Magic Charlotte avatar to enjoy the magic of in-store from the comfort of their own home.”
Obsess specializes in building virtual stores and pop-ups for clients like Farfetch, Levi’s and more. In some cases, the environments resemble real-life shops, while others can feel slicker, more futuristic or fantastical. In Charlotte Tilbury’s case, three floating stations (or “islands”) are set against a starry, galaxy-themed backdrop.
Site visitors copy the link to share with friends and family, who can join in on the shopping trip and chat over the microphone and camera.
“In the real world, so many of us love to go shopping with our friends as a social outing, but, until now, no one has been able to re-create that group experience online,” said Neha Singh, founder and chief executive officer of Obsess. “Our Shop With Friends video feature lets groups of friends navigate virtual stores together and talk to one another in real time to share advice and inspiration, just like we do when shopping in physical stores.”
Framing this as a metaverse maneuver makes it feel fresh, but the model isn’t entirely new. Streaming services like Hulu, Disney Plus and Amazon offer features that enable a shared viewing experience. Gamers have long chatted on platforms like Mumble and Discord for years, while related esports events offer picture-in-picture video.
With the Obsess technology, a small video window and audio channel lets everyone in the group stay connected as they shop. But they don’t have to remain in lockstep while browsing. They can also wander off to other parts of the store, if desired, making it feel more like a game than a static e-commerce experience.
“Many younger shoppers have grown up interacting online with friends in video games and esports and this feature brings the best elements of the gaming world to the experience of digital shopping,” Singh said.
Obsess also noted that stores, stylists and influencers can use Shop With Friends as well, guiding shoppers through the space to demo products and share styling advice. Wholesale sellers, for instance, can also use the feature as a tool to highlight products — like a virtual showroom.
The announcement comes as beauty brands weigh the metaverse potential for their businesses. For Charlotte Tilbury’s chief growth and technology officer Corinne Suchy, the digital-first brand sees it as another touchpoint with consumers. With Shop With Friends, “we are truly operating as an omnichannel business to bring our customers rich and immersive experiences whenever and wherever they meet the brand.”