Virtual Market VR
Università di Bologna - Alma Master Studiorum
Active in the Field of Experimental Studies and Analysis
Project TypeVirtual Reality
ScopeResearch
Virtual Market VR offers an immersive and modular experience designed to analyze purchasing behavior in the large-scale retail sector, exploring the factors influencing food product choices.
The Virtual Market VR project aims to identify the most effective ways to encourage and promote a more informed and conscious food purchasing culture, focusing on sustainable product choices.
Virtual Market VR enables the mapping of consumer purchasing behavior. The system, scalable and easily reconfigurable for various contexts, analyzes purchasing behavior and preferences by considering specific factors such as packaging, labeling information, sustainability, and other relevant aspects.
The platform also integrates advanced technologies, including machine learning, sophisticated algorithms, and gamification mechanics, making it a versatile tool for research and innovation.
The Project
Developed in collaboration with the University of Bologna - Alma Mater Studiorum, the
Initially leveraging a mobile app, a broad group of consumers will contribute to the quantitative mapping of purchasing behavior directly in supermarkets. Subsequently, virtual reality (VR) will be used to qualitatively analyze the choices of a selected group of participants invited to this “advanced and immersive survey.”
This methodology allows researchers to study consumer decisions when faced with different variations of the same type of product, considering factors such as aesthetics, sustainability, nutritional value, origin, and brand.
Thanks to an extremely simple and intuitive interaction system, users can freely express their preferences without requiring prior VR instructions. At the end of the experience, the collected data will be crucial both for drawing research conclusions and for developing “smart labels” that combine analog and digital elements, such as QR codes and NFC technology. This approach aims to guide consumers in choosing between different products, with a particular focus on promoting sustainable options.
project promotes more conscious and sustainable food purchasing. It maps consumer behavior and examines factors such as packaging, labels, and sustainability.
Inside the experience
Initially leveraging a mobile app, a broad group of consumers will contribute to the quantitative mapping of purchasing behavior directly in supermarkets. Subsequently, virtual reality (VR) will be used to qualitatively analyze the choices of a selected group of participants invited to this “advanced and immersive survey.”
This methodology allows researchers to study consumer decisions when faced with different variations of the same type of product, considering factors such as aesthetics, sustainability, nutritional value, origin, and brand.
Thanks to an extremely simple and intuitive interaction system, users can freely express their preferences without requiring prior VR instructions. At the end of the experience, the collected data will be crucial both for drawing research conclusions and for developing “smart labels” that combine analog and digital elements, such as QR codes and NFC technology. This approach aims to guide consumers in choosing between different products, with a particular focus on promoting sustainable options.
About the design
The Virtual Market VR experience is not based on gaming concepts but rather on extremely simple and functional interactions, faithfully mimicking real-life movements during shopping. The virtual environment, deliberately neutral, presents highly realistic food products, allowing participants to focus on comparative selection. However, the surrounding environment can be adjusted, with customizable color scenarios (e.g., red, blue, or green) to evaluate the impact of visual context on product choices. Each session is unique: participants face a series of customizable options that can be adapted to new analytical objectives over time.