3D Walkabout Scales Retail Store Digitization Across Australia with Matterport

Australia-based 3D Walkabout helps retailers digitize distributed store portfolios at scale using Matterport. By capturing accurate, data-rich digital twins of physical store environments, 3D Walkabout gives retail, design, construction, and operations teams a faster way to access, measure, and collaborate on store spaces without always traveling onsite.

What began as a visualization tool has evolved into a practical retail operations platform. Retailers are now using digital twins to plan fit-outs, support store refreshes, coordinate contractors, audit locations remotely, and maintain a more accurate record of store conditions.

The Challenge: Managing Distributed Retail Stores Without Reliable Site Data

Retailers in Australia operate across one of the largest and most geographically dispersed markets in the world. With store networks spanning vast distances, even routine site visits can become costly and time-consuming.

This challenge is compounded by the dynamic nature of retail environments. Store layouts change frequently due to merchandising updates, seasonal campaigns, or fit-out projects, making it difficult to maintain an accurate and up-to-date view of each location.

At the same time, many retailers lack reliable “as-built” documentation for their stores, limiting their ability to plan renovations, coordinate contractors, or standardize operations across locations. The result is an operating model that depends too heavily on physical site visits, fragmented information, and manual coordination between store, design, construction, and contractor teams.

The Solution: A Scalable Digital Twin Platform

3D Walkabout uses Matterport Pro3 cameras to capture accurate 3D models of retail environments, creating a centralized digital record for each store. With a nationwide network of operators, 3D Walkabout can support multi-site retail programs across Australia, including remote locations and large-format stores. Each digital twin gives teams immediate access to store conditions, measurements, and spatial context without requiring every stakeholder to be onsite.

Measurable Impact at a Glance

Physical sites visits reduced by up to 50% particularly for distributed retail portfolios where multiple stakeholders would otherwise need to travel to site

Travel and logistics costs can be reduced by >50% as fewer site visits are now required by various stakeholders across geographically distributed store networks

Around 30% faster store planning and fit-out cycles in suitable projects Enabled by instant access to accurate digital environments

More reliable as-built reference before work begins Reduces repeat measurements, contractor queries, and the risk of teams working from outdated or incomplete site information

Hours to days of manual measurement effort saved per project Digital twins provide accurate site measurements, retrievable anytime for store planning

From Store Visualization to Operational Platform

Retailers working with 3D Walkabout are embedding digital twins into daily operations, fundamentally changing how stores are managed. Managers and operational teams can now remotely explore store environments to review layouts, assess merchandising execution, and conduct audits. This shift has led to a substantial reduction in physical site visits—one of the most immediate and impactful benefits reported by customers.

Contractors and service providers also benefit from advance access to store environments. By reviewing spaces virtually before arriving onsite, they can plan more efficiently and complete work with fewer disruptions.

Retail teams are also leveraging digital twins to optimize store layouts. Product placement and point-of-sale positioning can be evaluated virtually, enabling faster iteration and better-informed decisions without repeated in-person inspections.

Enabling Faster Design and Fit-Out Workflows

Retailers working with 3D Walkabout are embedding Matterport digital twins into daily store operations — from remote audits and merchandising reviews to contractor planning and layout optimization.

Customers report that traditional measurement methods could take days or even weeks, while digital capture significantly accelerates this process—enabling faster planning cycles and improved accuracy across projects.

Matterport has become a critical enabler of retail design, refurbishment, and fit-out workflows. Through scan-to-BIM and scan-to-CAD deliverables, 3D Walkabout provides point cloud data and accurate spatial documentation that architects and design teams can use to model existing store conditions, reduce manual measurements, and plan projects with greater confidence.

Delivering at National Scale

3D Walkabout’s nationwide operator network is a key differentiator. The team can coordinate complex scanning logistics across Australia, including remote locations, large-format stores, and multi-store rollout programs, with Matterport supporting common retail workflows:

capturing current store conditions before a refurbishment, fit-out, or rollout,

capturing the completed environment afterwards

maintaining an updated digital record for future maintenance, planning, or compliance

For large-format environments such as flagship stores, scans are often conducted overnight to avoid disrupting store operations. This allows retailers to digitize high-value spaces while keeping day-to-day business running.

Expanding Retail Capture Workflows with Pro3 LiDAR

The introduction of Matterport Pro3 has expanded what is possible in retail digitization.

With Matterport Pro3, 3D Walkabout can capture larger and more complex retail environments, including interiors, entrances, storefronts, loading areas, and surrounding exterior context. This gives retailers a more complete view of the store footprint and supports planning workflows that extend beyond the sales floor.

For 3D Walkabout and its retail customers, Matterport has moved beyond visualization to become a practical platform for store operations, planning, and execution. By reducing reliance on physical site visits, accelerating design and fit-out workflows, and improving collaboration across distributed teams, digital twins are reshaping how retail portfolios are managed at scale.

As retailers look for faster, more scalable ways to manage physical store networks, 3D Walkabout is helping them turn store data into an operational advantage across Australia.