E.l.f. First Beauty Brand to Test Out Walmart’s Social Commerce Capability on Roblox
Beauty brand e.l.f. is bringing a limited-edition, physical product to the virtual world for purchase with the help of a new Walmart offering.
Through an expanded relationship with Roblox, the company has added real-life shopping within its immersive e.l.f. UP! experience on the platform. The social commerce initiative taps into new capabilities from Walmart that allows users to purchase store items through a virtual kiosk on Roblox and have them delivered to their doorstep. The experience opens a browser window within Roblox that imitates Walmart’s e-commerce process.
Walmart first piloted this offering in May with three Roblox creators — Sarabxlla, MD17_RBLX, and Junozy. The company had them design virtual versions of three physical Walmart products. Roblox did not receive a percentage of these sales and will instead function as a new revenue stream partner for the retail giant, according to Digiday.
e.l.f. says it is the first beauty brand to test real-world commerce with Walmart on the game creation system.
Visitors ages 13 and up will be able to purchase an UP! Pets hoodie, along with lip balms and oils and sun lotion. Eligible purchasers will also receive a “virtual twin” of the item for use in Roblox.
e.l.f.’s Roblox Journey
e.l.f. Initially launched its Roblox presence in 2023, giving users the ability to create their dream startup and advocate for their preferred causes. It has since received over 12 million total visits. Kory Marchisotto, chief marketing officer of e.l.f. Beauty, said the platform has surpassed expectations, especially resonating with its Gen Z community.
The company’s Roblox world includes:
- Big Mood: a recording studio and karaoke bar
- Holy Hydration!: An underwater sea life charity and animal rescue
- Halo Glow: A crystal cave jewelry and art gallery
- Power Grip: An extreme climbing gym and tech startup
“Testing commerce on Roblox is the next evolution in our journey of merging beauty with immersive platforms. We are teaching the Roblox community — and communities in digital spaces everywhere — about social commerce with purpose,” she said.
As part of the initiative’s push to end animal cruelty, e.l.f. will be donating $50,000 to the Humane Society of the United States.
