Walmart wants to attract the new market, yes, Gen Z and Gen Alpha think shopping is very boring, so Walmart has jumped fully into immersive virtual stores. They’re leaving behind the typical online store to create a new kind of experience for users, like playing The Sims (Gen Z probably didn’t get that reference…). And the thing is, these two generations not only follow new trends, they’re also starting to move a lot of money.
Walmart’s immersive stores
They’re doing it with their new platform Walmart Realm, which mixes culture, content, and commerce, all in the same place. It’s not just about adding products to the cart: here there are content creators, mini games, interactive stories, and direct references to things that are really present among young people, like K-POP, Lo-Fi or similar (are you also feeling old now?)
Thanks to their mobile pop-ups from Walmart Delivers, they’re also bringing this experience to real events in different cities, so it’s not just virtual. All of this with a pretty clear goal: to position themselves as the brand that understands these generations and gives them what they want, where they want it, and how they want it.
Much more than shopping
Since launching Walmart Realm over a year ago, millions of young people have interacted with this platform, where the products don’t come alone: each one is connected to a story, a style or a creator.
Now they’re going a step further and have created five themed worlds that represent different interests of these generations: K-POP Era, Lo-Fi Playing, Rodeo Dreams, Nature Breaks and Group Woosah.
This isn’t just about clicking
Walmart knows that for young people, shopping online isn’t just about convenience: it’s also entertainment, community and fun. In fact, 7 out of 10 young consumers prefer an immersive experience over a “normal” purchase. And that’s why each of these virtual stores has mini games, challenges, stories and things to do beyond shopping. It’s a way for people to spend more time there and connect with the brand in a different way.
There’s also a physical version
They’re also bringing this idea to the real world with physical events in different cities. For example, at the upcoming BABYMONSTER concert in Chicago, they’ll set up a space with photo booths, personalized gifts and areas to interact. This way, the experience becomes something social, more like an event than a store.
And why so much effort?
Gen Z handles more than 360 billion dollars just in the U.S. And almost half already take part in immersive digital experiences. So if brands want to have a place in the future, they have to speak their language and show up where they are! Walmart doesn’t just want to be the place where you buy cheap stuff, it wants to become the place where you discover new things!
Walmart wants to stop being just a supermarket
Immersive experiences will take the spotlight at the RTIH Innovation Awards 2025, which have already opened applications to recognize global tech innovation. In its last edition, held on November 21, 2024 at the RIBA headquarters in London and hosted by Lucy Porter, they highlighted leading companies in areas like cashierless stores, automated supply chains, advanced loyalty programs and green technology. Scott Thompson thinks these awards have grown from an online event during the pandemic into an in-person gathering that sells out, valuing not only creativity but the practical application of technology to achieve greater efficiency and profitability.
The retail giant wants to do something bigger than just selling. It wants to create a real connection with a generation that doesn’t shop the same way as the ones before, and that no longer settles for a store that just sells things. They want to live something while they shop. And that’s exactly what Walmart is giving them now.