5 Virtual Reality Examples: Real-World Uses and Applications

As virtual reality (VR) technology expands, companies are using it more than ever to enhance their businesses. Data suggests that the global market for virtual reality will be worth at least $18 billion in 2025, an increase of more than $2 billion from its worth in 2024 [1]. From manufacturing to health care to logistics and beyond, the VR experience has the power to drive operations and services forward to better meet consumer needs and boost profits.

In this guide, you'll explore six examples of how businesses are using virtual reality to aid in tasks such as product development, employee training, marketing, and more. Afterward, if you want to start developing the skills needed to build your own VR applications, consider enrolling in the University of London's Virtual Reality Specialization.

What is virtual reality?

Virtual reality uses computer technology to create three-dimensional simulations with varying levels of user immersion. Users are able to interact with or explore virtual environments by using special apps or wearable devices like headsets or goggles.

Read more: A Brief History of Virtual Reality: Major Events and Ideas

6 Virtual reality examples: applications and uses to know

Originally introduced as a gaming and home entertainment product, virtual reality has since expanded into the business world. Discover how businesses are using VR technology, along with some real-world virtual reality examples.

1. Allow customers to try before buying.

Virtual reality offers customers a new, convenient way to shop. With this technology, customers can try a product without leaving their homes. Examples of try-before-you-buy services include applying different shades of eyeshadow to your virtual eyelids or experimenting with different pieces of furniture or various paint colors in your virtual living room. Some home improvement stores even allow customers to walk into their newly designed space by donning a virtual headset.

Real-world VR examples of customers trying products include:

• The Ikea VR Experience allows people to explore a kitchen in virtual reality. Users can change the look and feel of the kitchen and explore the space from different height perspectives.

• Some hotels provide VR experiences that show potential guests a 360-degree view of their rooms and spaces.

2. Boost product development.

Virtual reality technology might allow your company to design better products. Designers and product developers no longer have to gather in one place to design and build a product. Now, team members can gather in simulated environments and virtual spaces. They can interact with a product and make improvements to designs quickly and easily without rebuilding a physical product. The virtual design process helps companies design and build large products, but it's also rapidly expanding to smaller products.

Some examples of using VR for product development include:

• Ford uses Gravity Sketch to design cars. This engaging technology allows users to sketch and design products in three-dimensional space, allowing them to better imagine finished products from beginning to end.

• The Collaborative Human Immersive Laboratory (CHIL)—Lockheed Martin's virtual reality lab for product design and manufacturing.

3. Improve employee education and training.

Virtual technology can improve employee training and save your company money. Using virtual classrooms and lecture platforms eliminates the cost of booking a training venue and employee airfare, lodging, and meals. For employees, virtual training offers the flexibility of working from home (and sometimes at their own pace), but it can also provide a good tool for learning how to work in hazardous conditions. 

Some examples of how virtual reality is used for training include:

• Preparing surgeons to perform delicate surgeries

• Preparing employees for active shooter incidents

• Preparing employees to handle hazardous materials or equipment 

• Preparing employees to work in dangerous environments

Additional ways virtual training may help your business include:

• Allowing employees to practice interacting with difficult (virtual) customers

• Faster and more cost-effective employee onboarding using automation

• Reducing the risks of breaking new equipment by providing virtual training

4. Help shoppers find products.

Online shopping is often convenient, but exploring products on webpages can occasionally be tedious. As a result, some retailers have started to build virtual showrooms to help shoppers look at products in 3D and find those that better match their needs. By creating these digital spaces, online businesses are able to create a more personalized and engaging shopping experience for their customers with some of the benefits of a real-world store without the overhead expenses.

An example of VR being used by e-commerce sites includes:

• Amazon has created several virtual shopping experiences, which allow shoppers to explore items within digital spaces much as they would in a physical store. One particularly engaging space is their "virtual holiday shop"– a winter wonderland of products where shoppers can check out hot holiday items in a completely digital store.

5. Tell immersive stories to market products or services.

Immersive storytelling can help market and sell your brand, products, or services by connecting with prospective buyers' emotions. Immersive marketing allows the customer to interact with your product, service, or brand, making them feel more involved in the marketing process. Whether you're trying to evoke joy or compassion, immersive marketing can leave a lasting impression on your customers and form a bond with them. 

Examples of using VR to tell product stories include:

• Merrell Trailscape's VR experience highlights different shoe features while hiking along a trail.

• TOMS' virtual giving trip experience shows the experience of giving out pairs of shoes to those in need. As an ethical shoe brand, TOMS donates pairs of shoes to organizations around the world.

Benefits and challenges of using VR in business

When deciding whether to incorporate VR technology into your business, it helps to consider some key benefits and challenges. Some of the essential advantages include:

• Allowing customers to try products before buying saves companies time and money spent on returns. 

• Virtual shopping permits customers to buy products anytime, day or night, while brick-and-mortar stores have limited shopping hours.

• Designing products virtually removes some of the risk of developing a new product for company heads and stakeholders.

A few drawbacks of VR technology’s use in business include the following:

• Companies need to understand exactly what their needs are and how VR can help.

• Not all companies can afford the investment required for VR implementation.

• Organizations must have professionals with adequate skills and expertise to implement VR technology.

Gain more VR skills and knowledge on Coursera

To learn more about virtual reality, consider taking the Virtual Reality Specialization offered by the University of London on Coursera. This five-course series designed for beginners in VR starts with an introduction to the history and psychology of virtual reality and discusses various applications of VR. 

The course progresses to subjects like 3D models, building interactive 3D characters, and the social aspect of virtual reality. At the end of the course, you'll use the knowledge and skills you've learned to build your own virtual reality game. If you dedicate 10 hours per week, you should finish the course in about two months and earn a shareable certificate of completion.