Shopping? It's childsplay

Picture the scene.
There I was clicking through Tesco.com, doing the weekly shop. In the same room, my kids on their tablets playing The Sims, Mindcraft, or whatever...dipping in and out of games, to chat with their friends. And that's when it clicked...


However current my online skills, clicking my way to shopping glory - today's online shopping experience just won't do for tomorrows shoppers. Our kids will want their online shopping experiences to mirror their gaming experiences. Fast, interactive, intuitive - and not a click in sight or sound.

Virtual Reality is coming to retail. It feels like the calm before the storm and many retailers are exploring the possibilities of Virtual Reality technologies in areas like merchandising. This is huge in itself and can shred the time and costs implications of range review management for everyone.

But it is only the start, VR can be deployed to facilitate and support all store planning and operations activities - transforming the speed and quality of execution. One day soon, all retailers and suppliers will be collaborating in VR in much the same way as everyone works on spreadsheets today.

Follow the logic. VR can also be applied to online shopping. Transforming the dull scroll and click into a world of wizardry. Imagine constructing your own personal store a la The Sims. Promotions popping up at you as you walk with your virtual trolley along the aisles. Imagine social shopping online and sharing out the benefits of multisave promotions between players. The first retailers who apply gaming and virtual technologies to online shopping stand to reap rich rewards.

One day, my grandchildren will look at me aghast - "you used to click?" - I will smile and tell them "I still do - now it's just my back"