WindowShopping
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eBay's large retail screens could make 'window shopping' more expensive
You might argue that eBay is a virtual store of sorts already. But according to reports, the auction giant is planning a new spin on the term. Reuters claims that eBay plans to place 9-foot by 2-foot screens in closed retail units in a variety of locations around New York. The idea being that real shoppers will be able to paw at the virtual stores through the glass, and have purchases delivered to them in under an hour -- ideal for those who just can't wait. There's already one client onboard (Fith & Pacific Companies) which plans to use the screens to launch a new fashion brand without having to kit out physical stores. The firm does plan on furnishing actual bricks and mortar outlets eventually, but won't ditch the screens after. Instead making them a permanent fixture in-store to add items that aren't always available in current stock.
Polo Ralph Lauren offers literal window shopping
It's not unusual to see the latest and greatest fashions prepped up behind a huge glass pane when strolling by a retail clothing store, but the traditional idea of enticing customers to come in could be replaced by just handling transactions at the glass. Polo Ralph Lauren has unveiled a unique way to shop in at its stores, allowing customers to complete purchases by interacting with the glass window of the building, and is testing the idea at the flagship location in New York. While we've seen some fairly obscure ways to shop, picking up a new outfit by tapping on a huge window may take the cake -- a projector beams 67 inches worth of Ralph Lauren's latest threads onto the store's window, while a "thin touch foil" mounted on the glass powers the touchscreen. Apparently customers can shop around the clock (if you dare wander out on city streets at those odd hours of the night) by just tapping images of the clothing they want and swiping their credit cards on the wall-mounted card reader. The company plans to keep the display up and running through September 10th, after which a decision will be made based on its success (or lack thereof) to either nix the windows shopping experiment or introduce it into more stores. While we're unsure what makes waiting in an outdoor line to purchase items any less annoying than waiting inside, this may be the perfect way to exercise those impulse buying muscles, and hey, at least it gives window washers some steady work.[Via SmartMobs]
