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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: American Apparel has opened a new store, but don’t look for it in the Yellow Pages. Try the Internet. It’s a virtual store. Charla Bear says it’s all part of an online world.

CHARLA BEAR: Second Life’s users are almost all between 20 and 30 years old. Most can afford high-speed Internet.

That’s just the type of consumer hip clothing retailer American Apparel wants to attract. So it set up shop in the virtual world to market to trendsetting consumers.

Will Davis specializes in interactive advertising at Eisner Communications. He says the virtual store could broaden the brand’s appeal.

WILL DAVIS: It can open their brand up to an audience that may not have experienced it before, who may then go out and make purchases because of their experience in the game.

Davis says American Apparel is getting a big bang for fewer bucks than traditional ads cost.

Other retailers are watching closely to see if they should follow into the uncharted virtual advertising territory.

I’m Charla Bear for Marketplace.