Virtual Reality Black Friday

Blake Haffer, Reporter

Black Friday shopping is an annual event, but the new virtual reality experiences is making it totally different for some people

According to an article on 9to5mac.com, which is a website that has news articles about Apple and other technology, the new Amazon VR Black Friday shopping experience. Using ARKit and Virtual Reality, users can shop like they would in a normal store, but in the comforts of their own home without all the craziness.

“This is pretty cool in my opinion.  It is like you are in a real store when really you are just wearing some goggles that give you the same experience with less struggle,” sophomore Shelbi Whitlock said.

The cost to be able to experience this is rather minimal. People have to buy the app, which is on the iOS app store, and have to have a virtual reality headset.  The VR headsets that will work on your phone are often found for under $50.

“I think it is crazy that the headsets are so affordable because of what they can do.  It is smart to make them affordable so more people can buy them,” junior Skylar Everman said.

The perks of shopping black Friday through virtual reality and Amazon seem rather evident.  People can avoid all of the craziness that goes on in stores on black Friday – the shoving, pushing, yelling. They can also get a more vast amount of stock on certain items, meaning a better chance to get them. With that, you can send a little extra time with your family on Thanksgiving, as opposed to going to the store early to get that hot item. Finally, it is just really a whole new experience.

Some stores are even trying to train their employees for the “busiest shopping day of the year by using virtual reality technology.  According to an article on businessinsider.com, the store chain is using the goggles to show employees in training what it is like to be in the store with all of those people.

 

“This seems pretty smart, it is a more real way to train them without putting them or items in the store in danger,” Whitlock said.

This idea or virtual reality shopping could really change the way that people shop on Black Friday and possibly everyday.Picture courtesy of Pxhere