Kinset and TheMallPlusHow NOT to implement 'Virtual Shopping'

Everyone who ever had the (doubtful) pleasure to listen to one of my presentations about virtual worlds, knows that I consider 'shopping' to be a perfect example for the advantages of virtual worlds technology versus websites. In short: Web based catalogues are perfect for efficient buying Virtual Worlds are perfect for 'shopping'. (More details here; in German.) Others seem to have similar ideas.

Lately, two new 'virtual world environments' appeared on the market, who are explicitely intended to support shops in a 3D online environment: Kinset and TheMallPlus.

Unfortunately, after trying out these two products, I got the impression that their designers did not understand the most important principles of virtual worlds - and of virtual shopping - at all.

Anyone who wants to understand, how - and why - shopping in virtual worlds works, please do NOT check out  Kinset or TheMallPlus !

These two services show, how one can present pictures of products in a 3D environment. What they don't show is why you should do this. Checking out both 'solutions' I could not find any major advantage of this kind of product presentation. Every web-based catalogue is - for most purposes - much better and demands less resources. I am afraid that Kinset and TheMallPlus will discredit the whole idea of using virtual worlds technology for online retailing. :(

Again: 'shopping' is - contrary to the efficient 'procurement of goods' - a social experience. Virtual worlds support this social experience - contrary to websites - by facilitating the immersion in another world together with others. What is needed to make this work is

1. a presentation of my surrounding by using the metaphor of a world/space (both Kinset and TheMallPlus do this),
2. a presentation of myself as an avatar (TheMallPlus tries to, Kinset doesn't) and
3. a shared experience, which happens because I am aware of other people around me and they are aware of me

More about these prerequisites for the virtual world experience here (or simply check out any popular shop in Second Life). It's all about avatars which interact and form relationships (temporary or permanently) and not about playing around with 3D. If I don't support all of the prerequisites for the virtual world experience I can forego 3D presentation -- especially, when the products aren't even presented threedimensional...

Technorati Tags: 3d web, kinset, metaverse, v-commerce, virtual worlds, web 3.d

Comments

[nic mitham]

Just curious - if you're telling people NOT to check out Kinset or TheMallPlus, why are you linking to them?

[Markus Breuer (Pham Neutra)]

*smiles*

Nic, it is common practice (and the polite way to handle it, IMHO) to link to sites you mention in your blog -- even if you critisize them. I hope there will not be a huge damage, when people go there -- especially of they are forewarned. :)

[Dave Elchoness]

Agree. Gratuitous use of a particular "cool" technology when it doesn't enhance the experience actually undermines the technology itself. I advise companies on how to use virtual worlds in the workplace, but am very willing to discourage them from doing so unless they understand the concept of community and immersion. Streaming a powerpoint into Second Life is NOT the way to go. People will wonder why they're wasting their time and tell them friends why the experience was BS. On the other hand, adapting a powerpoint training meaningfully to a collaborative, experiential learning experience for members of a team that may be geographically dispersed but at the same time "together" is transformative.