A luxury American fashion house, Coach known for its leather handbags, luggage, accessories, and ready-to-wear collections, has recently unveiled its first virtual store as part of the "Feel the Wonder" holiday campaign. The brand, which was founded in 1941 in New York, is owned by Tapestry, an American luxury brand that competes with Kering and Louis Vuitton.
The virtual store offers customers an immersive shopping experience, allowing them to explore various rooms featuring shoppable products from Coach's holiday range. The store also includes a retro gift shop and a secret room accessible only to those who engage in the gamified element of the experience by collecting five images of Coach's dinosaur mascot, Rexy. Customers can even shop with their friends through a live video feature offered at the start of the virtual experience.
Coach's decision to launch a virtual store was motivated by the popularity of gaming and virtual worlds, as well as the success of private virtual stores for retail buyers over the last two years. The brand aims to engage with customers in exciting and innovative ways, according to Renee Klein, VP of Global Brand Marketing and Digital Experience at Coach. By December, Coach will also launch an influencer-led livestream shopping series on Instagram Reels.
Virtual stores have become a significant focus for brands' holiday strategies this year, with companies like Crocs also investing in the concept. These virtual stores aim to outperform last year's e-commerce site engagement and sales through fantastical recreations of their own boutiques. For Coach, the virtual store is just the beginning, as it plans to host more virtual stores in the future.
The virtual store concept has proven successful in terms of customer engagement and sales. According to Neha Singh, founder and CEO of virtual platform Obsess, which worked with Coach on the virtual store, customers who engage in the virtual store spend 20-70% more than shoppers in other channels, including basic e-commerce and physical retail stores.
As digital worlds continue to gain importance for community interactions, virtual stores provide several touchpoints for customers to interact with store associates, influencers, or their circle of friends and family within a virtual environment. With the launch of its first virtual store, Coach New York is embracing this trend and offering customers a unique and engaging shopping experience during the holiday season.
