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Walmart is launching two new experiences on the online gaming platform Roblox on Monday.
The retail giant's first step into the virtual world will include a music festival with popular singers, a blimp that drops toys, a number of different games, and a store of virtual goods, or "verch," that mirrors what customers might find at Walmart's physical stores and on its website.
Walmart Land and Walmart's Universe of Play are the two experiences.
Given how the pandemic has changed consumer purchasing patterns and increased their use of social media, apps, and gaming websites, Walmart is experimenting with new methods of customer engagement.
On TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube, the big-box retailer has staged livestreaming events that may be purchased.
Through a collaboration with Meredith, the media organization that owns Allrecipes, Parents, and Better Homes & Gardens, it has developed meal recipes.
Additionally, it just launched an augmented reality application on Pinterest that enables customers to visualize how furniture or home accents will look in their own homes.
Walmart will use Roblox as a proving ground as it examines moves in the metaverse and beyond, according to William White, Walmart's chief marketing officer.
He claimed that the experiences were made with the upcoming generation of consumers in mind, notably Gen Z, which is widely seen as being between the ages of 25 and under. According to White, the company hopes to gain knowledge from the collaboration.
"How can we promote cultural dialogue that is relevant? How can we foster engagement and a sense of community? How are we increasing brand favorability with younger audiences, he questioned? We are working toward that here, after all.
Early this year, Walmart submitted a covert trademark application pertaining to the metaverse. Some of the trademarks showed an interest in creating or supplying virtual products, virtual currency, non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, to users.
White refused to comment on whether or how Walmart will use those trademarks.
Walmart won't currently profit from its immersive experiences, he claimed. In order to purchase virtual goods on Roblox, gamers can earn tokens and other rewards.
National brands, such as Skullcandy headphones and the toy company L.O.L. Surprise!, were integrated into the experiences based on demand from the younger gaming demographic of Roblox, the developer, rather than payment, he claimed.
But in the future, White suggested, Walmart might try to monetize it by charging a brand for inclusion or by attempting to convert users' virtual experiences into in-person or online shop visits.
Madison Beer, Kane Brown, and Yungblud will perform during the virtual concert "Electric Fest" in October on Walmart Land.
Between the online and offline worlds, Walmart is attempting to make connections.
As a possible incentive to entice Roblox players to ask for these toys, Universe of Play features games that include things from Walmart's top holiday toy list, such as Razor scooters, Paw Patrol, and Jurassic World characters.
Walmart Land has gigantic items from the retailer's Gen Z-focused beauty brands, such as skin care from Bubble and makeup from Uoma by Sharon C, as well as a virtual changing room filled with clothing from its high-end fashion lines, such as Free Assembly.
During the Covid epidemic, Roblox attracted a large number of new users, and it made its stock market debut the previous year.
According to the corporation, there are now more than 52 million players who regularly access the gaming platform, up from 32.6 million in 2020.
Historically, it has drawn mainly young children and teenagers, but the firm claims that its user base is attracting people of a wider age range.
While exploring online advertising, the platform, which primarily derives money from in-app purchases, also has plans for a larger ad push in 2019.
Despite having a market value of roughly $21.2 billion, Roblox's shares have fallen by almost 66% so far this year.
The number of shops and companies using Roblox has increased as a result. High-end fashion houses like Ralph Lauren and teen-targeted companies like PacSun are examples of these. The virtual skate park in Roblox belongs to the sports shoe company Vans.
The success of brand experiences, including the top locations for users who are 17 or older, was lauded by Roblox in a blog post on the year that was.
These included Gucci Garden, where users could browse a boutique of limited-edition virtual items and pose with their avatars, and Nikeland, where users' avatars could shop for the brand's apparel or take part in a dunk contest.
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