West Elm makes metaverse debut on Roblox
A Williams-Sonoma subsidiary is entering the metaverse via the Roblox immersive gaming platform.
Home furnishings retailer West Elm is launching its own virtual world, West Elm Home Design, on Roblox, a global virtual gaming platform with 52 million daily users. The first major specialty home retailer to premiere on Roblox, West Elm’s metaverse offering is known as The West Elm Home Design experience.
The retailer’s metaverse experience is comprised of the West Elm Hub and the West Elm Neighborhood. The West Elm Hub features a virtual furniture store, coffee shop and merchandise boutique. Users can customize their virtual “homes” on Roblox with over 150 digital products, replicated to be nearly identical to the physical goods.
In the West Elm Neighborhood, users can acquire digital homes and outfit them with virtual West Elm furniture, lighting, garden and decorative accessories. Customers can also collect and wear West Elm branded avatar accessories like T-shirts, hats, and bags.
West Elm Home Design also offers interactive design challenges and mini-games, obstacle courses, selfie snapping features, and virtual hangouts that reward users with tokens, prizes and giveaways. West Elm says it will continue to update the space and product offerings reflective of the brand’s current assortments.
Retailers turn to Roblox
West Elm’s metaverse entry is the latest signal that the metaverse is developing into a legitimate retail commerce channel. The home goods retailer is also providing another vote of confidence for Roblox as a metaverse commerce platform that is not just suitable for tweens and teens, but for consumers of all ages.
Discount giant Walmart also recently debuted in the metaverse by launching two new Roblox metaverse experiences. Called Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play, the spaces offer original interactive content and entertainment. Walmart Land will offer fashion, style, beauty and entertainment items directly to Roblox users, while Walmart’s Universe of Play will provide a virtual toy destination in Roblox.
Walmart Land will feature a variety of immersive experiences, including a virtual store of merchandise, or “verch,” for Roblox avatars, as well as unlockable tokens and badges that can be earned in various games and competitions. In Walmart’s Universe of Play, Roblox users can explore different immersive toy worlds to earn coins for virtual goods, or complete virtual challenges to build a personal trophy case, unlock secret codes and more.
Other retailers that have launched promotions, experiences, and/or virtual storefronts on Roblox include Chipotle, American Eagle, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Pacsun.
“We’re excited to expand our company into the metaverse and connect West Elm with the millions of daily Roblox users around the world,” said Williams-Sonoma president and CEO Laura Alber. “The launch of West Elm Home Design makes our company the first specialty home retailer on the powerful Roblox platform, and we look forward to welcoming users to the West Elm Neighborhood.”
Established in Brooklyn in 2002, West Elm is a global design company that is part of Williams-Sonoma Inc.