Emperia, one of the leading virtual retail developers in the metaverse recently announced a successful Series A funding round of $10 million USD – which it says will be used to accelerate the growth and capabilities of its platform.

Led by Base10 Partners, specific areas of deployment for the funds include building out its team, refining its virtual store SaaS platform, and broadening its presence in global markets.

Already, Emperia has worked with brands and retailers like Bloomingdales, Dior, Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and more.

Gamification in #eCommerce is on the rise & for good reason!

73% of consumers say they are more likely to make a purchase if a brand offers a gamified experience.

Check out @Bloomingdales exclusive #gamification for inspiration for your own virtual store!#Emperia #VR #AR pic.twitter.com/YXzJO51ZrM

— Emperia (@emperiavr) January 20, 2023

A few of its primary reasons for embracing the world of Web3 and a future-forward retail environment is to help stores reduce operating costs and reach a broader audience.

“Virtual stores and the metaverse are making serious waves in the business world and have inspired mass intrigue from consumers,” wrote the brand in a recent blog post, adding “they offer immersive experiences driven by exploration and fascinating future technology, but virtual stores also provide businesses with a new solution for cutting costs.”

The platform also highlighted that most brands initially think the implementation of virtual environments would be expensive or have the opposite effect – while in fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Because these virtual worlds don’t require brick and motor buildings, storage facilities, abundant staffing, security measures, and more, they make for perfect environments for shoppers from around the world to experience various brands.

“It became clear to me that while e-commerce was the future of retail, 2D websites were merely a tool that enabled an online purchase through a simple grid of images and text but lacked the customer journey, storytelling, and the ability to provide the customer experience and product discovery retailers’ physical stores strive to achieve,” shared Emperia co-founder Olga  Dogadkina in a comment to TechCrunch.

She added that “my other co-founder, Simonas Holcman, and I launched Emperia to bridge the gap between the transactional nature of an e-commerce purchase and the personalized shopping experience brands can cultivate in-store.”

Dogadkina stated that with the platform’s newly raised funds, investors, and advisors, she is excited to embark on a global expansion and to deliver “an even more impactful experience for our brand partners.”

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