Comments on: Social Networking 2.0: Avatar-Assisted Selling?

By: Patrick Bultema

Patrick Bultema — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:09:54 +0000

You are correct. A digital character (in our language, a CodeBaby) can have a huge impact. The dynamic is the ability to the character to make an emotional connection. There is a significant and growing body of research that both validates and explores how and why this works. But I can tell you that from our experience with actually customer implimentations, we see a dramatic impact on lead capture rates, click to close rates, cross-sell/upsell, and other core web sales metrics. While what we are doing is clearly leading edge, category making stuff, it’s real today. Check out what we’re doing at CodeBaby.

FYI, we’re going to be leading out with some of the foundational research, learnings, and CRM implications within the next couple weeks.

But just wanted to lean in with a comment because I think your blogg is insightful.

Patrick Bultema

By: William Burke

William Burke — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 10:59:55 +0000

The technology is already there! Its just in discrete pieces needed to be assembled or package for use. We use a lot of these features everyday so I would say acceptance is already there. Remember it is the “enjoyable” shopping experience that make shoppers repeat buyers. Today the virtual shopping experience is not anything comparable to the real shopping experience. With the integration of technologies such as avatars, social networks, and telepresence in the next couple of years the online shopping experience will become phenomanal unlike any thing we know.

By: Mark Antill

Mark Antill — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:49:05 +0000

Sounds great in theory but in practice?
Seems like an aweful lot of tech has to be present on both sides to make it work. Best bet: it’s 5 years away before it becomes probable and 5 more years before it becomes accepted.
Like I said, looks great on paper.

Mark