Reformation has just opened up a new high-tech store in the Mission district of San Francisco, and this one is truly a sight to behold.
Retailers continue to search for ways to attract the attention of today’s shoppers, but this store should have little trouble doing just that. As NBC News shares, Reformation has just opened up a new high-tech store in the Mission district of San Francisco, and this one is truly a sight to behold.While shoppers at the new store can browse through racks as per tradition, things get a little more advanced from that point. Touchscreens abound in the store and fitting rooms, and that allows customers to drill down into items to find ones that meet their specifications. From that point, staffers behind the scenes can provide that exact item for the consumer in moments. Reformation CEO Yael Aflalo has been working towards a way to ‘disrupt’ the retail experience as we know it, and it sounds like the retailer is well on the way.
"We wanted to do something very different in the retail space. Something that no one has done before" explained Bree Richmond, Reformation's Vice President of Retail. “I hope it feels different for them in a positive way. A shopping experience that they weren't expecting, but they enjoyed," she continued.
Other retailers are catching on as well. Across the country in Manhattan, Rebecca Minkoff's flagship store features touchscreen technologies as well. The store features a dressing room of the future that allows customers to browse different items, change the lighting, view different product specifications, and even see recommendations.
"With multiple brands closing stores and brands not making it, I think if you are going to brick and mortar, that now is the time to embrace technology and figure out, 'What do you need to gain an edge on getting your consumer to come in?'" Rebecca Minkoff said.
Despite the advancements, retailers shouldn’t take this as a sign that the days of human interaction are over with. The use of advanced technologies is merely an enhancement - albeit one that shoppers will want to flock into seeing - but retailers need more than bells and whistles to keep customer counts strong. It sounds like Reformation is completely on board with that concept, and its stores should keep thriving as a result.
"The technology is not to replace the human interaction. If you don't want to use the touchscreens, we're happy to do it on our end," Richmond continues.
12 APRIL 2017, USA
Source:
NBC News