Online retailer Amazon has unveiled a customer education centre where visitors can find out more about 3D technology. The launch comes ahead of a string of new 3D DVD releases to the home entertainment market. It explains the technology viewers will need in order to watch 3D films at home.
The global box-office performance of Avatar in 3D in the cinemas is expected to fuel demand for 3D films at home, and the customer education centre’s launch comes as the 2D version of Avatar is released on DVD and for Blu-Ray. Retailers yesterday opened stores at midnight to sell the film on DVD and Blu-ray.
According to the Amazon 3D FAQs, “nothing has been communicated officially” on the release of Avatar on 3D, but “many rumours point to a 2011 release.” The centre also lists another nine movies set for a 2010 3D release on Blu-ray 3D discs, including Alice in Wonderland and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
Features of the customer education centre include guides to 3D and the technology required to watch it, a series of explanatory clips presented by Paul Hochman of NBC’s TODAY Show, FAQs and an interactive forum where users can ask questions about 3D and exchange views.
Our view: This is a great example of how retailers can leverage the online to explain new market trends and technologies – and develop their own markets at the same time. By giving consumers a range of guides, interactive video and forums, Amazon is helping customers who may be interested in the mass-appeal of 3D but know little of technology to get onboard with this new development in the market.
3D could easily be offputting for many – but this will help them understand it. At the same time Amazon identifies itself as a key place for consumers to buy this new technology, even though they can’t look at it and view it themselves as they would in a high street store.
