VitrualEShopping

I know lots of folks who love to shop in their pajamas. Why fire up the car when you can fire up your laptop - especially when the kids are asleep and you've got the "mall" all to yourself.

Well, now you can. The world's first virtual, 3D shopping mall has been "built" in Sacramento. It's called VirtualESacramento.com.

I visitied the site and, I have to admit, it really simulates the sounds of a mall - without the jampacked parking lots! Shoppers can peruse the main mall, specialty malls (for men, women and teens) or stay within their own city's mall. (The individual city malls, like Sacramento's, cover the major English-speaking cities in the world!)

You can shop by style - only pants or certain colors - and even makeup for particular skin tones. There's also a way to grab and redeem coupon offers from certain merchants. Some of the stores you'll find are Barnes and Noble, The Apple Store, Champion, Zales, Walmart - even Fredericks of Hollywood.

Mark Stein, chief executive officer of VirtualEShopping.com, answered questions on the Web site about this concept.

He says the shopping destination launched July 21, so for now most of the merchants are national, like Sharper Image and Old Navy.

"Over time, we anticipate that local attractions, businesses and even professional services (doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, etc.) will want to have storefronts and billboards in the mall," Stein says. "So over time, the city malls should look more and more like the cities they are named after."

To check it out, click here.