Interactive Store Technology the Buzz at NRF
Technology executives offered retailers at the Jan. 14–17 run of the National Retail Federation Conference a first-hand view of the future of interactive retailing that employs the concept of social retailing with digital communications via a “magic mirror.”
The concept of interactive and social retailing was seen at the “X07 Store of the Future” display, which spanned 11,000 square feet of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York.
New York design agency IconNicholson— along with the Paxar Corp. and partner TheBigSpace—unveiled separate “magic mirror” concepts in X07.
The backbone of IconNicholson’s concept is an interactive dressing-room mirror, which allows shoppers to send images from the store floor to friends via a soon-to-come Web site (www.shoptogether.com). The magic mirror is an interactive three-way mirror, which uses infrared technology to send images of the shopper via his or her cellular telephone, so friends and relatives can provide input on how an outfit looks from the Shoptogether site.
The technology would allow friends to provide comments on the images. IconNicholson is developing the first magic mirror for New York designer Nanette Lepore.
IconNicholson executives said the technology will help build up the concept of social retailing.
“It’s a concept that evolved out of our work building personas based on youth shopping needs, behaviors and current technology trends,” said Rachael McBrearty, vice president of creative strategy. “The demonstrations in X07 provide retailers with a vision for how they can reach the audience at the center of the social computing craze seen in Web sites like YouTube.com and MySpace.com to connect in-store shopping with the online world in a way that is new, entertaining and completely relevant.”
Paxar is teaming with Milan, Italy–based company TheBigSpace to employ RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology to be used as a personal shopper of sorts. Their magic mirror is equipped with a style guide, which makes suggestions about accessories and complementary clothing items to go with an outfit being tried on in front of the mirror.
The concept is being developed for United Kingdom retailers. The RFID element comes with merchandise tagged with RFID chips, which, when read by the mirror, can display style numbers, sizes, color availability, and mix-and-match suggestions. Shoppers can also contact sales associates by merely touching the mirror.
Paxar executives said the mirror project provides retailers with a way to communicate with their customers on an emotional level and provide a positive shopping experience. —Robert McAllister
