Word: wrottesley
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Near London shuns humanoid avatars; visitors are instead represented by a colored shaft of light. "If you give them bodies, it gets in the way of the experience," says Alex Wrottesley, founder of Near Global, the firm behind the London site. Because you're shopping for yourself, not your avatar. Moreover, he adds, humanoid avatars "really don't look very good." You can also access Near London through Facebook, which means friends can browse and shop together in real time. (Talking to strangers is not allowed...
...Wrottesley, of course, believes they will, and he's already planning additional features to this beta version. He'll be adding New Bond Street to Near London early in 2010, and there are plans to recreate other London shopping zones, including Knightsbridge and Kensington. The site will also soon feature advertisements on billboards, buses and taxis, up-to-the-minute headlines on newsstands and even simulated weather that will mirror real-time conditions. Movie theaters, hotels, restaurants and bars could be part of the mix, too. Click on a theater, and you might watch trailers of what's on; visit...
...Near Global has invested around $16.5 million in its London site. Wrottesley expects a quick return. Some revenues come from fees paid by client retailers. But all retailers, clients or not, also pay for clicks to their sites, and Near Global also earns a commission on all items sold. Advertisements will generate additional income. Little wonder that Near Global is talking to a potential partner about doing virtual versions of major U.S. cities, starting with New York. A virtual Tokyo is also high on the to-do list. Soon you might be able to enjoy a shopping spree that takes...
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