The shopping revolution has arrived, no more browsing bland web pages. Socialise with friends, try before you buy and be anyone you want. All from the comfort of your own home.
– Asher Cohen on the Cloud Mall experience – talk show, Tech Talk
| Name: | Cloud Mall |
| Type: | VR Shopping Centre |
| Owner: | Cohen Property Group |
| Opened: | 2063 (UK) 2064 (Other countries) |
| Developed: | 2053 – 2063 |
Cloud Mall was an online virtual reality shopping and social centre that was developed by Asher Cohen as part of the Cohen Property Group from 2053 to 2063, opening in the UK in Q4 of 2063 and in select other countries in Q4 2064. Despite initial technical issues the UK opening was a major success and attracted more visitors than even the most ambitious of Cohen’s predictions.
Despite having a large marketing team around him, Cohen wanted to handle all negotiations and business pitches personally. During the final 5 years of development Cohen was able to sign up 14 of the largest retail companies on 1 year, reduced cost trials. All development and setup costs were borne by Cohen Property Group with the promise of a successful first year of sales.
One year before the Mall’s UK opening there was an extensive marketing campaign. Asher Cohen was the main face of the campaign and made appearances on talk shows and podcasts. A documentary, that Cohen had commissioned 10 years prior to follow the development, was released 1 month before launch and gave exclusive insights into the development of Cloud Mall along with sneak previews of what the customer experience would be.
Critics were split with some saying it would be the most revolutionary change to how we shop since the formation of the internet. Others said it was an unnecessary gimmick that the public would soon see through.
Due to Cloud Mall’s opening period coinciding with the start of the UK’s Sunrise Era the shopping centre had almost 100 years of unprecedented domestic growth and record sales. Including international sales, Cloud Mall was the most successful shopping centre in history.
However, growth gradually slowed and finally plateaued in the year 2161. Critics at the time put it down to an extended period of limited feature development and lack of innovation. However, the Sunset Era, despite commonly accepted as starting in 2180, is a more likely cause as trends suggest a shrinking of consumer spending a few decades prior.
In 2138 Cloud Mall was sold for a record amount for a sale of a digital platform in the UK. The sale coincided with the 75th opening anniversary and there was a huge digital fanfare which also spilled over into the physical world with huge adverts and another documentary that covered Cloud Mall’s 75 years of operation.
After 47 Years of declining sales, closing stores and a gradual migration from the platform, Cloud Mall finally closed in 2208.
Sunsets on Britannia 