Dyson has unveiled its first virtual reality store, allowing New Zealanders to experience and test its products from the comfort of their own home – assuming they own an Oculus VR headset.

As of 19 November, New Zealanders with access to the Oculus store can download the Dyson Demo VR, which will put customers in a virtual space allowing potential customers to see and pick up products, as well as trial them out, see product demonstrations, watch interviews with Dyson engineers, and see how products could interact with your own home.

“As engineers we are concerned with improving things, and that includes how many people understand our products,” said Dyson founder and chief engineer James Dyson.

“We have been harnessing powerful virtual reality technologies to engineer new products in our labs for many years, now we are applying those same techniques to re-invent how people explore our products.”

According to Dyson, customers are increasingly looking to buy directly from the business, rather than through a third party seller. This VR experience goes some way in allowing shoppers to check out the business’ products, and future updates to the software will allow them to buy from the VR headset, and even speak to a Dyson expert.

Dyson’s e-commerce director Sean Newmarch said VR technology allowed the business to reach customers in a brand new way, and make it easier for customers to understand how their products function.

“We can show people a virtual product operating in a virtual room, but using the actual product software – it doesn’t get much more realistic then that,” Newmarch said.