IDG Contributor Network: Macy's China experiment shows the potential — and limits — of retail VR

Macy's this month made its debut appearance within Alibaba's Singles' Day in China. Well, sort of. It participated via a virtual reality shopping tour app featuring Macy's New York City flagship, which bills itself as the world's largest department store.

But making this Chinese entry with a virtual reality app — here's a small sampling of it, via YouTube — is a decidedly odd move. Although virtual reality is a wonderful way for surgeons-in-training to safely explore a body or for pilots to learn the intricacies of flying a new aircraft, it's hard to see how it's either an efficient means of shopping or an impressive way to experience a department store.

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