Qatar Airways "Qverse" helps shoppers try before they buy

The airline virtually showcases the travel experience from check in to in-air to help potential passengers become more familiar with the brand’s premium offerings. Accessible from mobile and desktop using only a browser.

Consumers tend to hesitate before making a high-dollar purchase for goods or services. This is especially true when they can’t touch, taste or otherwise engage with a product beforehand. The result is that they might not buy at all, choose the cheapest option or go ahead and make the purchase but feel wary and uneasy during the experience.

Marketers in air travel, in particular, have their work cut out for them, because previous experiences can weigh heavily on a passenger’s purchase choice. Maybe they’ve become  lost in an airport, or endured uncomfortable flights, or the staff wasn’t helpful. People can feel vulnerable when they’re up in the air, and brands need to continually establish a sense of security and comfort before the customer makes that purchase.

Now there’s a new way to do just that, and possibly influence whether travelers book with one airline rather than another. A unique digital online experience by Qatar Airways gives customers a preview of the journey, from airport arrival to embarking, well before their actual flight takes off.

QVerse, accessible on computers and smartphones, is a live online platform that allows customers to sample what they’re about to purchase, appreciating the experience beyond price. It features the airline industry’s first metahuman cabin crew, Sama, which means “sky” in Arabic. Sama guides potential passengers through two airport lounges, plus Economy and Business Class suites, with close-ups of seating, meals and more.

Full story at AdAge.