Why don't we have a virtual Target yet?

[Ringwraith917]

With the Advent of the "metaverse", and Target focusing so hard on online shopping, I would think we would lead the way in a Virtual shopping experience. This should be a virtual Target app made for the metaverse where you could go into a virtual Target and physically pull things off the shelf and put them in your cart. The Shelf could auto-populate based on the actual online on hands. The Zone will always be crisp and clean and we can even have team members walking around to assist in the Metaverse. Somebody push this up the chain of command, I think it would be so cool and all the young people with disposable income would like it

 

[Xanatos]

I think it would be so cool and all the young people with disposable income would like it

I agree that it would be cool, but that is a very very small demographic for such an expensive idea.

 

[balthrop]

We can’t even get our zebras to work on a consistent basis, we have an odd habit of cratering our system on Father’s Day something as massive as meta- anything is well beyond Target

 

[gracefulfillment]

I don't think they'd ever go that far with it, but I've always thought it would be cool if they made a virtual version you could shop through: tap an aisle on the map and see the POG of it, pictures of all the items. Tap an item to "pick it up" and go to the product page. More like shopping in store than scrolling through a list of products on your phone. Different experience.

 

[seasonaldude]

Do it in VR and have a virtual Bullseye that points out sales and Circle deals.

 

[dannyy315]

I want no part in this dystopia. Humans are being deprived of real human interaction.

 

[commiecorvus]

I want no part in this dystopia. Humans are being deprived of real human interaction.

So you don't think interaction online is valid human interaction?

 

[Ringwraith917]

I want no part in this dystopia. Humans are being deprived of real human interaction.

I think you misunderstood. It wouldn't be instead of physical stores, it's in addition to. No one would be deprived of anything.

 

[dannyy315]

So you don't think interaction online is valid human interaction?

It is but it's not the same

 

[NCTM]

This was my first response to this post.....

 

[NKG]

🤔

 

[Tessa120]

With the Advent of the "metaverse", and Target focusing so hard on online shopping, I would think we would lead the way in a Virtual shopping experience. This should be a virtual Target app made for the metaverse where you could go into a virtual Target and physically pull things off the shelf and put them in your cart. The Shelf could auto-populate based on the actual online on hands. The Zone will always be crisp and clean and we can even have team members walking around to assist in the Metaverse. Somebody push this up the chain of command, I think it would be so cool and all the young people with disposable income would like it

I'm still trying to get the money together for a VR headset. Someone not a gamer probably doesn't even want one and definitely won't shell out a few hundred dollars for the sole purpose of shopping at Target. And many computers aren't able to handle a headset.

So your grand idea would require shoppers to splurge not just for a headset but also a new computer.

What do you think is the annual income for most guests?

 

[Ringwraith917]

@Tessa120 the Quest 2 doesn't need a computer, just a WiFi connection. I have one as of last Father's day but just because my girlfriend bought it for me, I would never have spent that money on it myself. Apple will soon be coming out with their own version too.

 

[Tessa120]

@Tessa120 the Quest 2 doesn't need a computer, just a WiFi connection. I have one as of last Father's day but just because my girlfriend bought it for me, I would never have spent that money on it myself. Apple will soon be coming out with their own version too.

Okay, so no new computer. But how many will buy that just for a shopping trip?

 

[dannyy315]

One thing I'm worried about this VR stuff, kids will use it in place of real world physical interaction and exploration. Just from a health perspective, some kids won't be as active. There's been a correlation between the rise of video games and obesity, and I think this could exasperate it.

 

[dannyy315]

That being said, I can see healthcare being a benefit for VR. But there's going to be a whole lot of extra visits from people turning into couch potatoes.

 

[JiJi]

With the Advent of the "metaverse", and Target focusing so hard on online shopping, I would think we would lead the way in a Virtual shopping experience. This should be a virtual Target app made for the metaverse where you could go into a virtual Target and physically pull things off the shelf and put them in your cart. The Shelf could auto-populate based on the actual online on hands. The Zone will always be crisp and clean and we can even have team members walking around to assist in the Metaverse. Somebody push this up the chain of command, I think it would be so cool and all the young people with disposable income would like it

Ohhh and with the TMs walking around, if you tap them it could open a prompt for a live chat with a TM.
This would work as a stay at home job, as all you would need is your computer to check inventory and prices and such..

But this requires thinking, and we all know corporate doesn't do that

 

[seasonaldude]

Okay, so no new computer. But how many will buy that just for a shopping trip?

No one. But, the Quest 2 is great for so many other things beyond shopping. I love mine for just watching Netflix.

But, the graphics really aren't there for an actual virtual shopping trip. Most Quest games use very simple graphics. There just isn't enough processing power in standalone VR, or even PCVR for that matter, to render a virtual Target truly possible.

 

[Asuras]

Best Buy is piloting something like it already. But instead with an Agents on a webcam helping a customers find items. And building a virtual basket and checking out for them. We have a fake store set-up and can demo products on video too. Actually my current job, very interesting concept so far. Customers are still both amazed and confused by it. Sometimes all at once.

 

[Sisyphus]

Spot does have this in production. I saw a demo a while ago where you could "walk" down aisles in a part of the store and "pick- up" products to read ingredients etc. Where they are with this now is beyond me, but it shouldn't be much longer before it rolls out for spot and most big stores. Spot won't be first, most likely Amazon but they will be there in the beginning.
I can see this being an incredible opportunity for all kinds of businesses. You could use this tech to shop in a store in around the world from your couch. Or shop with a friend who is in Japan at a store in Australia while you are in Chicago. You and your friend could talk about the merch in the store in real time just like being together. Gonna break the internet when more stores begin this. We'll look back to the 2-D online shopping we do now and laugh.
I could see this being expanded to concerts( there's already holographic concerts so why not? If your favorite entertainer isn't playing in your city you go virtually to the concert and have even better seats than if you were there.), games (wanna sit on the 50 yd line at the Super Bowl but don't have a billion dollars to spare? Go virtually with a live virtual version of your friends).

 

[Tessa120]

But that still overlooks the big problem of technology. If you don't spend a good chunk of your spare time using VR technology, why would you purchase it for the sole purpose of a shopping trip? The cost to make this doable have to be taken into account when determining how many customers will use it.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

If the shelfs are not full, how can spot compete?

 

[Sarakiel]

Does this count as a virtual Target?

 

[Guest Avocado]

Edina… of course…

 

[oath2order]

Virtual Targets would have no use for POG or signing TMs or reshop and that's literally the only fun thing for me when I worked there why would I want a virtual Target