Today shopping on the Internet is essentially the same as shopping with a catalog in that you are simply seeing lists of items with descriptions. As you shop you add items you want to a "shopping cart" that is essentially just a product list and when you are ready to place the order you fill in your contact and billing information on a form. While doing this on a website is much more easier and accurate than using older methods of ordering, such as the telephone, I think that new technologies have the potential to make this a much better experience. Specifically, virtual reality devices like the Microsoft HoloLens could radically change the online shopping experience and perhaps even bring relief to failing "brick and mortar" stores.
Imagine this scenario: a person wants go shopping online at a technology store that also exists as a brick and mortar chain. Rather then head to a web browser, they launch their favorite shopping application that works with their virtual reality headset. They put on the headset and they are standing in front of a virtual simulation of the physical location where they normally go. After walking through the door a cart is automatically provided and they start their shopping trip by walking around the store.
When they get to a product they are considering, they reach for it and a virtual version of the box appears floating in front of the its peers on the shelf. After grabbing the floating product, they start examining it, flipping it over to reading the back. They decide to buy this item so they place the product in their cart. They repeat this with another product but after deciding not to buy it they place the box near the shelf where it was floating and let go.
As they finish their shopping trip and are ready to complete the purchase of their items, they head for the checkout counter. When they arrive the cart disappears, its contents tallied, and the customer is prompted for their billing information. After providing it, as well as a shipping address, they receive a receipt and shipping information so they know when their order will be delivered. They then walk through the exit door and back to the virtual street or virtual mall.
On another visit, as the inventory on the virtual shelves is the same as that stores physical shelves, they remember they really need ink and it looks like the store going to run out again as they were out of luck last time they needed ink. They are also enthusiastic to look at the new monitors more closely so they decide to take the time to head down to the physical location. While they have only visited it a handful of times, their hundreds of visits online mean they know the location of every product with their eyes closed.
Is this possible today? There are already technologies available to do the sensing and virtual reality display in addition to screen based first person virtual reality that is as old as first person games. Moreover, there could be different ways of presenting the virtual store that is familiar to the layout but more efficient then a full simulation, such as an interactive map. Technology is causing the physical world and the virtual world to move closer and stores will need to respond to ensure customers have the best shopping experience.
