Students Step Into Virtual Retail Worlds

University of Arizona retailing and consumer science students have begun using extended reality technology to enhance classroom learning. Led by assistant professor of practice Soo Hyun Kim, the merchandising systems course now includes a digital twin of the Lundgren Consumer Science Lab, developed in Unreal Engine by student Denisse Guerra through the university’s AI Core program. The virtual replica allows students to test store layouts, monitor shopper behavior, and interact with products using a Meta Quest 3 headset.

Funded by a $5 million gift from former Macy’s executive chairman Terry Lundgren and his wife Tina, the Lundgren Consumer Science Lab combines physical and digital resources for retail research and entrepreneurship. Students explore advanced concepts in real-time simulations, gaining exposure to in-store analytics, augmented environments, and virtual commerce tools. The initiative is designed to give students hands-on experience with emerging technologies in the retail industry.