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

The initiative was launched by the Swedish firms Touchtech and Versiteit to show, in a real setting, the benefits provided by the combination of sales in physical stores and online. 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 new concepts is The Fitting Room. Launched by two Swedish retail technology companies, allowed a clothing brand (Called) and another of footwear (Sneaky Steve), Improve sales and reduce costs by combining the benefits of sales in physical stores and online.

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 on interactive kiosks, try on shoes and clothes, and place orders, and then receive them at home.

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

By combining the benefits of a physical store and an online one, Chaban and Lind saw that the first offers the possibility of touching and trying products, as well as good customer service; while the Internet environment allows for broader information on a greater number of products..

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

So that customers could have access to this information, interactive kiosks configured with touch screens were installed. Link Touch and equipped with an RFID reader to scan product labels.

In addition, A table with a touch screen was also installed in the center of the room so that customers could browse the web.. “This support provides an excellent sales tool to inform about the product. You're not just scrolling through images like on a website”, explained Lind.

This system allowed staff to be more customer-focused. “I had always thought that if we could free up sales staff from the point of sale to help customers, sales would increase. They didn't need to count money or bring out new products.. “They could spend all their time with the client.”, comments Chaban.

Besides, The inventory did not need to be excessive either.. Each shoe model was available in all sizes, but not in all colors and the same thing happened with clothes. There were different sizes to try on but not all colors available.

“We don'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 the four Elo touch screens”, Chaban adds..

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