You have surely heard of the term "Metaverse".
In the last few months of last year, the term became quite popular because of the transition of Facebook's name to "Meta," which took place in October 2021.
Along with this, other news has brought the Metaverse even more prominence, such as the purchase of the properties of The Sandboxa virtual game world, by consulting firm PwC.
Thus, a term previously seen only in literary science fiction, has come to the fore in the marketplace with considerable force.
But what, in fact, is the Metaverse?
The origin of the name Metaverse, as mentioned above, was born in science fiction literature, with author Neal Stephenson in his book "Snow Crash", published in 1992.
In Stephenson's book, the main character is a pizza delivery man, but in the virtual world his identity is that of a samurai. In the story, this digital world is called the Metaverse.
Thus, we can interpret that the simplest definition to understand what the metaverse is, is to consider it as an online space that can be shared by people who use technologies (either virtual reality or augmented reality) to interact with the space, content and other people using avatars.
But what does the Metaverse have to do with the market, and with the big trends such as Social Commerce?
Getting to know Social Commerce
With the expansion of social networks, a new way of relating has emerged that encompasses people as a whole, but also the way consumers get involved with brands.
Thus, Social Commerce emerged as a new sales format, based on the need for companies that realized the importance of getting closer and establishing relationships with their customers. With this, a new business strategy began to revolutionize today, especially in the retail niche.
With a very explanatory concept, as the name says, the basis is to sell products and/or services through social networks.
Companies began to centralize their strategies on the consumer, in order to reach their customers wherever they are. Because of this, social networks are the key to success in the midst of the digitalization that has been happening at an accelerated pace in recent years.
At the end of the day, Social Commerce is also about understanding the consumer, and recognizing their needs and habits that now go beyond using social media just for communication and leisure.
Social networks are also used for research, searching for offers, asking questions, finding opinions, and becoming a safe place for consumers to shop. These are the brands' new showcases, becoming a place of validation.
After all, it is thanks to social networks that the consumer can have previous contact with the brand, either through an ad or organic publications. Decision-making becomes easier when there is a bond of trust.
Metaverse x Social Commerce
It is important to understand the metaverse as a collective ecosystem, where people can interact and recreate their experiences between the real and virtual worlds.
Although it may seem like a reality that is far from what we know today, the truth is that the metaverse is already inserted in the daily life of several companies.
As extended sales experiences, and consumer convenience for a more pleasant purchase, the metaverse is already present with technologies in several ways. An example of this are the application options that offer the possibility of "tasting" an item using a camera phone.
O metaverse related to social commerce is an investment in people, because it must think about the experience of the consumer who can experience new things in a way that suits his reality.
An example of this was the immersive experience launched by Forever 21 in the Metaverse.
In a partnership with Robloxa game application used by millions of users around the world, the brand created the Forever 21 Shop Citya platform where users can manage stores with the goal of becoming the "best store".
Forever 21 Shop City has themed districts with entertainment, an obstacle course, a food court, and a yellow carpet - a place where users can interact with friends, build a community, etc.
Collections released in Forever 21's physical and digital brand stores will launch simultaneously in Forever 21 Shop City, and users will be able to sell the same product in their stores, or buy them for their avatars.
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