Cosmetics brand Laneige opens interactive metaverse store
A direct-to-consumer skincare brand is expanding its online presence to the metaverse.
Laneige is opening its first immersive virtual store, supported by metaverse commerce platform Obsess. The virtual store features animation, 360-degree video functionality, gamification and seamless heckout.
The store’s layout consists of five virtual rooms that are each custom-designed around specific Laneige products and video content. Content in the interactive rooms includes an underwater world, a floating cloud dreamland, and a carousel candyland.
The store also features an interactive lab where customers can learn about the ingredients in Laneige products. Custom content featuring actress and company spokesperson Sydney Sweeney includes an the “On Set with Sydney” room, which features exclusive behind-the-scenes video from Sweeney’s photo shoots with the brand.
In addition to exploring the virtual rooms, visitors will be able to participate in a skincare quiz for custom product recommendations and a scavenger hunt to win two free products with purchase.
“We’re so excited to bring Laneige to our online customers in an immersive and unique way with the help of Obsess,” said Julien Bouzitat, chief marketing officer of AmorePacific U.S., Laneige’s corporate parent company. “The virtual store is a powerful customer engagement tool that will allow shoppers to dive into Laneige’s unique scientific expertise and entertaining digital content, while also helping them select the right product for their skin needs.”
“Virtual stores are scaling rapidly in both brand and consumer adoption, and data from the more than 85 million user interactions that have happened on the Obsess platform proves that these interactive stores increase customer engagement and purchase behavior,” said Neha Singh, founder and CEO of Obsess. "We are thrilled to partner with Laneige on this immersive e-commerce store, which brings 3D shopping to a new generation of consumers who have grown up with gaming."
Metaverse attracts cosmetics brands
Other cosmetics brands have turned to the metaverse as a direct-to-consumer promotional and commercial channel. Elizabeth Arden recently partnered with Obsess to launch a fully shoppable metaverse experience that features interactive content, as well as gallery-style art that customers can “jump” into to immerse themselves in the historical scenes depicted in the artwork and photos.
Clinique, an Estee Lauder company, unveiled a digital shopping experience called “Clinique Lab” in April 2023. The virtual storefront, provided by metaverse-as-a-service platform company Journee, provides a virtual Clinique counter where customers can create a customized avatar and explore six unique zones.
In December 2022, Laura Mercier opened World of Beauty, its first virtually experiential e-commerce presence. Working with Obsess, Laura Mercier is utilizing web-based virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to offer an HD-quality, 3D and 360-degree metaverse experience.
Charlotte Tilbury also works with Obsess to directly reach out to customers via the metaverse. The retailer initially launched the digitalized version of a brick-and-mortar store, leveraging Obsess technology, on its e-commerce site in November 2020. A year later, the company introduced a virtual 3D Shop with Friends solution, enabling customers to opt to invite others to join them for a virtual store experience by clicking a button and sending friends and family a link to the virtual store by email or text.