Why 3D Malls (Again)?
In the very earliest stages of virtual world adoption (which some may argue we’re still in), pioneers envisioned an online 3D mall, where users could shop online in a virtual mall the same way they would in a real one. The logic behind 3D malls was sound — users love shopping online because it’s fast and easy, right? And users love new technology and immersive experiences, right? And yet, as ClickZ’s Sean Carton points out in a recent, entertaining piece, 3D malls ended up becoming the poster child for why not everything needs to be a 3D-space, as “people finally realized online shopping would be about building mega-brands with features that facilitate online shopping (see Amazon), not repurposing real-world metaphors in cyberspace.” Nonetheless, Carton has noticed new 3D malls popping up around the online world. Blame an increased focus on retail and consumer spending during the holiday season, perhaps, or a climate of retailer anxiety in the U.S. at present amid a slumping dollar an
