Developments such as augmented reality, which can offer users a life-sized 3D view of products, and advanced chat applications, including Google Wave, are being used to create enhanced online services.
Colette Wilson, head of ecommerce at House of Fraser said she had commissioned the overhaul of the site, which will be completed by September, in response to increasing competition in the luxury sector.
Paul Coffey, managing director of digital agency twentysix, said: “Augmented reality and other applications that help make the web become a physical thing are helping to create the in-store feeling online.”
Rival retailer Selfridges is preparing to open its first ecommerce site and is also aiming to recreate the exclusive feel of its department stores online. It is seeking an agency to promote the site with display advertising when it launches later this year.
Similarly, exclusive fashion brands including Chanel and Marc Jacobs are also working on their plans for improved online stores.
When announcing the firm’s decision, Fabergé chief executive Mark Dunhill acknowledged he had been unsure whether it would be possible to create the required shopping experience online. However, he added that he had been convinced that the technology was available to “adapt the internet to meet our clients’ needs”.