A recent article from CIO told the story of a man named Jeff Singman, a small business owner who conducts operations for two specialty toy stores in New Jersey.
His outfit is named Toy Genius (News - Alert), and inside the store, buyers receive first-class treatment that includes a high level of product knowledge, employees in white lab coats, and free gift wrapping. Singman and his employees present an image that is unique and specifically branded, and not too long ago the owner decided he wanted to bring that shopping experience to his website. Unfortunately, he ran into problems.
"We were looking for a way to bring that...shopping experience to the Web," Singman said. "I actually had the vision since 2011, but I couldn't affect that vision."
The problem was located in the way in which Singman wanted to interact with his online customers. He wanted to show them product demonstrations and display his products in the virtual environment in the same way his employees do inside the shop. Of course, this sort of interaction requires that shoppers install browser plugins or use VoIP applications – both of which can be more of a hassle than they are worth for just viewing products in real time.
It needed to be easier than that, and WebRTC technology made it easier. This new method of initiating connections through Web browsers began its life in 2011 – just around the time that Singman wanted to begin virtualizing his business's experiences. It allows customers to video chat directly through a website without the need for additional plugins or setup. All that is necessary is a modern browser capable of supporting the protocol.
Toy Genius is running with the technology and will reportedly be launching an interactive e-commerce site this August. Overall, this technology lowers the complexity of Toy Genuis connecting with its customers through their mobile devices and desktops. Many browsers support WebRTC, including Google (News - Alert) Chrome, Firefox, and Opera. However, two major players in the browser market do not support it: Internet Explorer and Safari. The user base for the three supporting browsers is quite large, though, so many people will find it easy to take full advantage of the store's new website.
WebRTC represents a sort of "do it yourself" attitude among video communications pioneers and other rich communication suite providers. Anyone with developed knowledge of the Web can set up his or her own server that communicates with WebRTC and connects users through their chosen websites. Small businesses such as Toy Genius can also employ the use of third-party products and services, and that is the route Singman's company has chosen to go. Toy Genius is reportedly working with Genband, a Frisco, Texas company that specializes in WebRTC products.
Singman has reported that he feels the technology built into his company's site will help the brand move forward. Soon, his customers could experience the same white-glove service from their Internet-ready devices as they do inside the actual store.
Edited by Alisen Downey