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The gap between the online and offline world is growing ever smaller. We have already seen live streaming and virtual reality used by the real estate industry to enable house-hunters to view properties remotely, and now GoInStore is opening those functionalities up to other retailers too. The video streaming platform connects online shoppers with physical stores and showrooms via smart glasses worn by customer service assistants, enabling them to view and experience the products from the comfort of their own home.

To begin, in-store sales assistants log into the GoInStore platform and put on the smart glasses. Then, when a website visitor starts an incoming call, they are connected with the sales assistant, who guides them around the store or shows them individual products through their eyes. The video is one-way but the audio is two-way, enabling the customer to ask questions and the employee to provide customer service and proactively sell products. The sales assistant also receives the online visitor’s browsing history so they are informed about their interests and requirements. If and when the customer wants to make a purchase, the sales assistant simply scans the barcode of the product and it is immediately added to the online basket.

The platform could prove particularly useful for car dealerships, enabling them to create an online showroom that can act as a first point of contact for customers and easily lead to face-to-face appointments, test drives or even sales. It is currently being trialed by luxury car dealer Amari. What other e-commerce platforms could use these tools?