Elo screens help launch Fitting Room: a fusion of physical and digital store

The initiative was launched by Swedish firms Touchtech and Versiteit to showcase, in a real scenario, the benefits provided by the combination of selling in physical and online stores. For its execution, interactive kiosks configured with Elo touch screens were used.

As brands and retailers recognize the need to create an environment that combines digital and physical commerce, technology providers with expertise in both areas are creating some of the most innovative retail concepts.

One of these novel concepts is The Fitting Room. Launched by two Swedish retail technology companies, allowed a clothing brand (Wacay) and another of footwear (Sneaky Steve), improve sales and reduce costs by combining the benefits of in-store and online sales.

The initiative was launched by Deniz Chaban, co-founder and CEO of Touchtech, and Johan Lind, CEO and co-founder of Versiteit. The place to carry out the 'experiment' was the Nordstan shopping center in Gothenburg and it was carried out in a space of 63 square meters. In the chosen store, customers were allowed to search for products in interactive kiosks, try on shoes and clothes, and place orders, and then receive them at home.

The initiative got the business to increase its sales and reduce the need for a large inventory in the store.

By combining the benefits of a physical store and an online store, Chaban and Lind saw that the former offers the ability to touch and test products, as well as good customer service; while the Internet environment allows for broader information on a greater number of products.

Designed the space to allow customers to touch and test products, while allowing them to access the depth of selection and information they typically find on an e-commerce site.

In order for customers to have access to this information, interactive kiosks configured with touch screens were installed. Elo Touch and equipped with an RFDI reader to scan product labels.

likewise, a touchscreen table was also installed in the center of the room so that customers could surf the web.. "This support provides an excellent sales tool to report on the product.. You're not just scrolling through images like on a website.", Lind explains.

This system allowed staff to focus more on the customer." I had always thought that if we could free up the point of sale sales staff to help customers., increase sales. They didn't need to count the money or bring out new products.. They could spend all the time with the client.", says Chaban.

On the other hand, nor was it necessary for inventory to be excessive. Each shoe model was available in all sizes, but not in all colors and the same happened with clothes. There were different sizes to try on but not all colors available.

"We didn't buy in advance. Which meant that, basically, we were never exhausted. It was as if the purchase was made from an e-commerce business but it was done from the physical store through one of Elo's four touch screens", adds Chaban.

For Lind, the results of the 'experiment' were a success. "Returns were lower than 1% due to the fact that they tried the product before buying. Online sales increased by 43% for Sneaky Steve, while for Wacay, the increase was slightly smaller. And sales per square meter were higher than those of other retailers selling the two brands.".

Other articles on Elo Touch Solutions, Touchtech, Versiteit