The Disruptive Potential of Virtual Reality within the E-commerce Industry: Study case of Turn2VR
Authors
Baltat, Ionut-Alexandru ; Pîrvu, Cosmin-Georgian
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2016
Submitted on
2016-06-01
Abstract
This thesis examines the disruptive potential of virtual reality (VR) in the e-commerce industry through a case study of the startup Turn2VR. It aims to identify how a technology-driven startup can build and position a VR solution in an uncertain, innovative context and gain a foothold in the low-end segment of e-commerce. The project combines Design Thinking and Lean Startup methodology to manage uncertainty, supported by a literature review, hypothesis development, secondary and empirical data, product development workshops, market and competitive analyses, and tools such as the Business Model Canvas and Diffusion of Innovation. Turn2VR develops a smartphone-based VR add-on for existing webshops, compatible with low-cost headsets, as a click-and-virtual step toward potentially VR-only offerings as adoption grows. Early findings from the process suggest that the combined approach shortened the time needed to identify a suitable solution and helped surface the right challenges, speeding up development. As this excerpt covers the opening chapters, detailed quantitative outcomes are not reported, but the study offers a practical framework for incubating Turn2VR and probes VR’s role as an immersive shopping and product interaction layer in e-commerce.
Dette speciale undersøger det disruptive potentiale ved virtuel virkelighed (VR) i e-handelsbranchen gennem et casestudie af startup-virksomheden Turn2VR. Formålet er at identificere, hvordan en teknologidrevet startup kan opbygge og positionere en VR-løsning i et usikkert, innovativt miljø og opnå fodfæste i e-handlens low-end-segment. Projektet kombinerer Design Thinking og Lean Startup-metodologi for at håndtere usikkerhed, understøttet af litteraturgennemgang, hypotesedannelse, sekundære og empiriske data, produktudviklingsworkshops, markeds- og konkurrentanalyse samt værktøjer som Business Model Canvas og Diffusion of Innovation. Turn2VR udvikler en smartphone-baseret VR-udvidelse til eksisterende webshops, kompatibel med billige headsets, som et “click-and-virtual” trin på vejen mod mere modne, potentielt VR-kun løsninger i takt med udbredelsen. De foreløbige resultater fra processen indikerer, at den kombinerede tilgang forkortede tiden til at identificere den mest egnede løsning og gjorde det lettere at afdække de rigtige udfordringer, hvilket accelererede udviklingen. Da uddraget kun dækker de første kapitler, præsenteres ingen detaljerede kvantitative effektmål, men studiet opstiller en praktisk ramme for at inkubere Turn2VR og afprøver VR’s anvendelse som et immersivt salgs- og oplevelseslag i e-handel.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]