Amazon — XR Goes Pop

Amazon Launches Explore Platform for Personalized Live-Stream Experiences

Today, Amazon introduced a new interactive live-streaming service called Amazon Explore, which offers virtual travel, shopping, and learning experiences. Book unique one-on-one sessions with local hosts around the globe, all from the comfort of your home. Using a laptop or desktop computer (Explore currently doesn’t work on a phone or tablet), a one-way video and a two-way audio stream lets you see and hear your host without having to be on camera. During your session, you can also use the camera icon at the bottom of the video feed to take photos, enhancing the feeling of ‘really being there.’ Explore is currently in public beta and available to US customers on an invite-only basis.

In March, I wrote about the opportunities for virtual travel and live-streaming in a time of self-isolation and closed borders due to COVID-19. Shortly after, I also wrote about the possibilities for virtual personalized shopping experiences from independent boutiques to luxury retailers. Amazon Explore marries both of these concepts.

Will we see a crossover with Amazon’s recent Luxury Stores launch, offering personal shopping experiences with designer fashion brands on the Amazon Explore live-streaming platform?

“Oscar de la Renta is thrilled to partner with Amazon for the launch of Luxury Stores,” stated Alex Bolen, CEO of Oscar de la Renta. “As a global leader in retail, Amazon has a relentless focus on improving the customer experience through constant innovation, utilizing technology and customer feedback. We admire Amazon’s customer-centric focus and look forward to telling our brand’s story in compelling and engaging ways to even more customers through the Luxury Stores experience.”

More brands will launch within Luxury Stores in the coming weeks and seasons. Amazon Explore would be an excellent way to extend and personalize that luxury experience by offering a one-on-one remote shopping service.

Amazon Explore could even be a potential solution to current European travel bans for American shoppers.

In 2018, nearly 18 million Americans travelled to Europe. COVID-19 travel restrictions have halted spending by American tourist shoppers, impacting luxury brands.

According to tourism shopping tax refund company Global Blue, high-net-worth Americans spend €180,000 per year when travelling abroad, just behind high-net-worth Chinese consumer spending of €197,000.

Imagine being able to book a personalized virtual shopping tourism experience with Amazon Explore to Paris or Milan where you could purchase goods from luxury retailers. Most designer fashion flagship stores are a destination in themselves.

In a recent Retail Prophet ‘Ask Me Anything’ webinar, Ian Rogers, Chief Digital Officer at LVMH shared his thoughts on how digital will transform retail. “We need to have broadcast capabilities because not everyone can come to that store,” he said. “How do we invite people in that can’t be there?” Rogers commented on current approaches such as live-streaming, Instagram, and WeChat. “That thing that looks like Louis Vuitton plus FaceTime, that’s still coming and that’s going to be incredible.”

Once Amazon Explore is available on mobile devices, and perhaps Louis Vuitton becomes an Amazon Luxury Stores partner, we could soon have a taste of what ‘that thing’ looks like.

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