Amazon Anywhere Lets Consumers Shop From Virtual Environments

Amazon says it will begin letting consumers buy real-world products from inside virtual spaces.

Amazon Anywhere, an “immersive shopping experience” announced Tuesday (May 9), lets shoppers browse and purchase physical products from the retail giant from inside of virtual worlds like video games, augmented reality (AR), and mobile apps.

The program is launching first within Peridot — an augmented reality game from developer Niantic that lets players control artificial intelligence powered pets — the release said.

“By working with developers like Niantic we are able to showcase new and creative ways for customers to discover relevant products beyond traditional online storefronts, enabling more immersive and engaging experiences both in-and-out of virtual worlds,” said Steve Downer, vice president of consumer electronics at Amazon.

According to the release, Peridot players can access physical products within the game — branded items like clothing and phone accessories and pillows featuring the game’s creatures — as well as information they’d find in Amazon stores, such as product details, price and estimated delivery date.

From there, customers tap the buy button to check out from the Amazon account linked to the game, with products shipping like any other Amazon purchase.

The launch comes at a time — as noted here last month — when many retailers are moving away from their metaverse strategies.

“While it’s never been clear whether brands and retailers were ever truly welcome in the metaverse, or if it was just an intrusion into a space meant for pure entertainment and disassociation from the real world, it seems the investments retailers have made have not paid off,” PYMNTS wrote in April.

For example, Walmart closed its Universe of Play metaverse experience on Roblox six months after its launch, though the retailer has said it always planned to discontinue the experience.

Disney, meanwhile, shut down its division that was working on developing next-generation storytelling and consumer experiences for its metaverse strategies. This decision came after the recent announcement by social media giant Meta that its metaverse division had experienced a loss of $4.3 billion in the fourth quarter.

One alternative strategy, that report argued, is AR, featured in Amazon’s Tuesday announcement.

“AR technology can elevate the shopping experience by integrating virtual elements into the real world, allowing customers to visualize products in their own surroundings,” PYMNTS wrote.

In addition, AR technology can increase customer engagement by providing entertaining and experiences, upping the likelihood of a purchase. It can also help retailers create a more personalized and interactive shopping experience, which can improve customer loyalty.