Walmart & Unity partner on immersive commerce
Creators will be able to sell physical items in games, virtual worlds and apps.
Walmart’s collaboration with Unity marks its continued experimentation with interactive shopping experiences and tech. The retailer’s Unity Software-Development Kit lets creators to integrate Walmart’s Commerce API into their projects, allowing players to buy physical goods within games and apps — without having to leave the game.
“We have an opportunity to connect the physical and digital realms in a way that only Walmart can, meeting our customers and members with authentic experiences where they already are,” Tom Kang, vice president and general manager of Metaverse Commerce and Walmart’s Store No. 8, said in a statement. “By opening up Walmart’s commerce APIs to the Unity development community, we’re empowering developers to offer a new mechanism to further drive user engagement while making it easy and convenient for players to complete a transaction for physical products without leaving the game, virtual world or app.”
Last August, the retailer debuted Supercampus on Roblox, a back-to-school themed game where players could solve puzzles and play using supplies from brands like Crayola, Bic and 3M. The following month, the company unveiled another Roblox experience, dubbed Walmart Discovered, where players can browse virtual departments like pets, beauty and sports.
In addition to virtual gaming, Walmart has invested in other technologies like artificial intelligence and augmented reality. Last October, the retailer said it plans to use AI and AR to improve its search functionality, help shoppers prioritize product features and browse review summaries.
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