Obsess

# Obsess: High-Level Overview

Obsess is an experiential e-commerce platform that enables brands and retailers to create immersive, interactive 3D virtual stores on their websites and metaverse platforms[1][3]. Founded in 2017, the company transforms traditional online shopping by replacing static thumbnail grids with visually dynamic, discovery-driven experiences that feel more like gaming environments than conventional e-commerce sites[4][5].

The platform serves a diverse range of industries—fashion, beauty, food and beverage, media, and entertainment—with notable clients including Ralph Lauren, L'Oréal, Crate & Barrel, e.l.f. Cosmetics, J.Crew, and Disney Music Group[4]. Obsess addresses a fundamental problem in digital retail: the stagnation of the online shopping interface. By marrying shopping with gaming and virtual reality, the company creates more engaging, interactive experiences that increase consumer engagement and brand storytelling[4][5]. The company experienced a 400% increase in brand and retailer interest in 2021, demonstrating strong market validation for its approach[5].

# Origin Story

Obsess was founded in 2017 by Neha Singh, an MIT alumna who previously spent five years as an engineer and tech lead at Google before leading product at Vogue[2]. Singh's background bridging technology and fashion gave her unique insight into the limitations of traditional e-commerce interfaces. Her founding vision was straightforward but ambitious: reinvent the outdated e-commerce experience by creating a next-generation consumer interface with visually dynamic and interactive experiences[4].

The company launched during the early stages of mainstream VR adoption and quickly gained traction with backing from prominent venture investors including Village Global, Jump Capital, The VR Fund, and Techstars[2]. By maintaining operations in New York and building a team of approximately 80-85 employees, Obsess established itself as a serious player in the experiential e-commerce space[2][3].

# Core Differentiators

• Proprietary Patent-Pending Technology: Obsess developed proprietary technology specifically designed to deliver beautiful and fast web VR shoppable experiences, giving it a technical moat in the market[2].

• Cross-Platform Distribution: The platform deploys brand projects across multiple channels—from web browsers to gaming platforms like Roblox to next-generation devices including Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest[4]. This device-agnostic approach provides flexibility that competitors may lack.

• Managed SaaS Model: Operating as a managed SaaS platform rather than a self-service tool allows Obsess to provide white-glove service to enterprise brands while maintaining scalability[2].

• Founder-Led Innovation: Singh's continued leadership as CEO, combined with her deep product experience at Vogue and engineering background at Google, ensures the platform remains aligned with both consumer expectations and technical excellence[4].

• Proven Enterprise Traction: The company has successfully deployed 3D storefronts for major global brands, demonstrating the ability to execute complex projects at scale[4].

# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Obsess operates at the intersection of several powerful trends: the maturation of web-based VR technology, the rise of metaverse commerce, and growing consumer demand for more engaging digital experiences. The company is riding the wave of mainstream VR adoption, a shift that makes immersive shopping experiences increasingly accessible to consumers without specialized hardware[5].

The timing is particularly significant as brands face pressure to differentiate their digital presence in an increasingly crowded e-commerce market. Traditional online retail has stagnated visually and functionally for decades, making Obsess's approach to reinvention particularly relevant. The company's ability to deploy experiences across both traditional web and emerging platforms (Roblox, Vision Pro, Meta Quest) positions it as a bridge between current e-commerce infrastructure and future immersive retail environments[4].

By demonstrating that immersive shopping experiences drive meaningful engagement and sales, Obsess influences how the broader retail industry thinks about digital transformation. The company's success validates the market opportunity for experiential e-commerce and encourages other technology providers to invest in similar capabilities.

# Quick Take & Future Outlook

In January 2025, Infinite Reality acquired Obsess in a strategic move to expand its portfolio of extended reality and AI-focused companies[1][4]. Under this acquisition, Singh transitioned to Chief Innovation Officer, positioning her to influence product development across Infinite Reality's broader platform while maintaining Obsess's New York operations[4].

The acquisition signals confidence in the experiential e-commerce market and suggests that immersive shopping experiences are moving from niche innovation to mainstream infrastructure. As consumer expectations for digital experiences continue to evolve and VR hardware becomes more ubiquitous, Obsess's technology and Singh's vision will likely play an increasingly central role in how brands engage customers online. The integration with Infinite Reality's broader capabilities in extended reality and AI could accelerate innovation in areas like personalized immersive experiences and AI-driven product discovery within virtual stores.

The future of retail increasingly looks less like a grid of thumbnails and more like the immersive, interactive experiences Obsess pioneered—making the company's influence on the broader tech and commerce landscape likely to grow significantly.