J.Crew Launches Virtual Holiday Store Experience Complete with Winter Sports

J.Crew has launched a virtual experience that combines digital commerce, AI and gaming to make holiday shopping a bit more entertaining.

The experience, designed in partnership with Obsess, is built around a user’s journey through a winter wonderland. Visitors (virtually) drive through a magical snowscape to a festive lodge and ski chalet where they can explore various holiday-friendly items. In the lodge, visitors can browse women’s items, from sequin mini dresses to brushed yarn sweaters and coffee table books, while the ski chalet features the men’s collection.

Each room has a distinct design motif and theme. For example, one room is set like a traditional living room, with gifts piled under a decorated tree. Another room is a ballet dance space where visitors can watch the brand’s holiday commercial with the New York City Ballet and then seamlessly shop items from the ad.

Visitors also can participate in an interactive scavenger hunt — if they collect five J.Crew virtual ski passes, they unlock a special surprise. There are other fun Easter eggs integrated into the experience, such as videos, themed photo galleries and Spotify holiday playlists.

Visitors also can use an AI Card Generator that allows visitors to answer a set of “this or that” questions and then generates a custom holiday greeting card. Or, if visitors simply aren’t in the mood to shop, they can play a skiing game where they have to move a virtual skier through a series of red flags to avoid trees on a path.