China has revealed details of an advanced plan to use
virtual worlds to supply customised goods to consumers across the
globe.
Beijing's Cyber Recreation Project (CRP), which is jointly owned
by the Chinese government and industry, is creating a
Second Life-style virtual world. It will allow people to buy
customised goods from Chinese manufacturers.
So far 200 manufacturers have located to the physical CRP site,
ready to receive orders from virtual world customers when the
project formally opens next summer, prior to the
Beijing Olympic Games.
Clothing manufacturer Berkam Group will offer the first service,
offering customised shirt manufacturing.
CRP's chief scientist, Chi Tau Robert Lai, said that the aim was
to cut out the middlemen. "A shirt made in China for £1 typically
sells for £20 in Europe. We have a big manufacturing capacity," he
said.
Lai said China has a large and growing middle class who, along
with 20 million virtual game players, are best reached through
virtual worlds. The firms will also sell goods to the rest of the
world.
This Chinese initiative, based on
Internet Protocol version 6, aims to build an open and
accessible environment. Handling currency conversions, global
integration and interoperability are core requirements for
success.
"The virtual world has to integrate with the real world," said
Lai. "Some form of government in the virtual world is needed in the
future to ensure trust and quality."
Swedish companies are leading the way in collaboration. Paynova
is providing international online payment services, and MindArk,
which produces the Entropia Universe virtual world, is helping
provide a virtual world infrastructure.
CRP is also working with MasterCard, Visa and the China
Everbright Bank to build a financial platform, and with suppliers
including IBM.