Forever 21 celebrates its one-year ‘meta-versary’ - RetailWire

Dec 08, 2022

Forever 21 past week said that it was celebrating its one-year “meta-versary” by launching a manner postulation inspired by its acquisition operating successful the metaverse.

The F21 Metaverse Collection came astir pursuing Forever 21’s occurrence successful virtual merchandise testing. The caller enactment of hoodies, t-shirts and different items was influenced by the retailer’s virtual offerings including the Forever Beanie, the fig 1 selling point successful Forever 21 Shop City connected Roblox. The caller limited-edition enactment is disposable successful Forever 21 stores and connected forever21.com with prices starting astatine $14.99.

The retailer is besides presently offering limited-edition tradeable accessories connected Roblox to beforehand the caller line, making a caller F21 point disposable each time done December 9.

“Our archetypal extremity with Forever 21 Shop City was to grow however we prosecute with our customers and marque our products accessible to all,” said Winnie Park, Forever 21 CEO, successful a statement. “With the occurrence of the virtual Forever Beanie successful our Roblox store, we are thrilled to bring this beloved merchandise and the full F21 Metaverse Collection to life.”

Forever 21’s acquisition with Roblox implicit the past twelvemonth has convinced the institution “there is appetite for its offerings wrong and beyond societal games.”

Consumer probe conducted by Roblox users recovered that 70 percent of Gen Z gamers usage ideas recovered connected ceramic and mortar store shelves to outfit their avatars connected the gaming platform. Forever 21 is exploring opportunities to link virtual and carnal items done experiences successful some environments.

Roblox reported that regular progressive users successful the U.S. and Canada, described arsenic its halfway market, grew 17 percent year-over-year successful the 3rd quarter. The fastest increasing user conception successful those countries are consumers betwixt 17 and 24, a cardinal property demographic for Forever 21.

Forever 21 is not the lone retailer utilizing Roblox to link with consumers successful the metaverse. Walmart successful September launched 2 immersive experiences — Walmart Land and Walmart’s Universe of Play — on the gaming platform. The 2 correspond the retailer’s archetypal attempts to link visitors with virtual merchandise (AKA verch) that person existent beingness matches connected walmart.com and successful its stores.

Forever 21 was acquired successful 2020 by Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners aft it had filed for bankruptcy.

• Forever 21 Launches the World’s First Metaverse-Tested Fashion Collection, IRL – Forever 21/Business Wire
• Shareholder Letter – Roblox
• Walmart enters the metaverse connected Roblox – RetailWire
• Is Forever 21 a omniscient concern for its caller promenade landlord owners? – RetailWire

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you spot gaming platforms similar Roblox arsenic the logical introduction points for retailers looking to trial the metaverse waters? Does Forever 21’s  acquisition suggest that the metaverse offers existent beingness opportunities for retailers?