There.com Partners with K-Swiss, Bebe and Eberjey

There.com creator Makena Technologies announced five new partners for its virtual merchandise marketing program -- apparel providers K-Swiss, bebe, and Eberjey, as well as music merchandiser Bravado and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Each retailer will create a virtual storefront in There.com where members can purchase both virtual and real world merchandise, such as T-shirts, hoodies, bathing suits, pajamas, and shoes. The new brand partners will introduce between five and 18 virtual goods each into the world.

Other current partners in There.com's virtual merchandise marketing program include Coca-Cola, Scion, CosmoGirl, and the Humane Society of the United States.

Said Makena CEO Michael Wilson: 'As virtual worlds continue to grow in popularity, more brands are entering the space because the quality of virtual goods has become so realistic that consumers can now begin to make real-life purchasing decisions based on an item’s virtual counterpart. As virtual worlds continue to become more mainstream, I believe we will see more brands introducing virtual goods to help increase consumer engagement, and in turn, we’ll see a ‘halo effect’ that crosses into the real life.'"