Activity Superstore and Debenhams team up for immersive retail experience with real ROI
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The UK’s leading in-store gift experience company, Activity Superstore, is rolling out a landmark promotion into 21 Debenhams UK stores in November 2017. This marks the first use of virtual reality (VR) to bring the gift to life in store for shoppers.
Four of the company’s gifts experiences are being demonstrated through the use of VR. It includes the chance to fly through the skies on a helicopter to give shoppers in store a retail theatre experience, driving sales in the run up to Christmas and delivering ROI. This approach makes the link between VR and the purchase being made in store, with the power of visualisation enabling gift buyers to get excited about heading in store.
Activity Superstore CEO, Shaun Powell explains; “We see continual growth from our in-store gift experiences and wanted to provide our retail partners with a spectacle, which had a direct link to ROI and purchase for us, creating something entirely unique for shoppers to drive footfall in-store. We’re working with Debenhams to enhance customer engagement in-store while also delivering a virtual representation of our most thrilling gifts.”
The project launched its first site on November 2nd, with the opening of a retail experience in Debenhams flagship store on Oxford Street, London. The activity supported the reveal of the retailer’s ‘You Shall’ themed Christmas window display and will be in store in time for the light switch-on this week. The promotion will be rolled out in nine of Debenhams’ stores by 22nd November with a further twelve providing interactive encounters from 11th December throughout the festive shopping period.
Richard Vanoli, head of merchandising at Debenhams, said: “We know that customers buying gift experiences are keen to get an understanding of what the activity will look like before they purchase. Incorporating virtual reality into the sales process enables us, along with our partner Activity Superstore, to give shoppers an immersive snapshot of what is on offer.”
