design:retail - March 2015 - (Page 26)

innovation 026 BRIDGING THE (DIGITAL) GAP E BAY INC., SYNONYMOUS with online auctions for the past two decades, is migrating to offline retailing. Yes, that means "in-store," and yes, that is still where 90 percent of transactions take place. The San Jose, Calif.-based company assembled an innovation team to build retail hardware for physical stores a couple years back. That innovation has continued with the opening of the new Rebecca Minkoﬀ ﬂagship in New York's SoHo neighborhood this past November. The immersive environment is geared to 18- to 34-yearolds, who demand not only the freshest of fashions, but also the latest in connectivity. Healey Cypher, eBay's head of retail innovation, explains, "We partnered with Rebecca Minkoff to bring the best of the digital experience into the physical." For the mobile shopper (in-store or not), MARCH 2015 DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM there's the Rebecca Minkoﬀ iOS smartphone app and a new m-commerce site, built with Blue Acorn. Through the app, a shopper can check-in to the store upon arrival, which prompts her personal proﬁle to be carried across Rebecca Minkoﬀ store channels-helping store associates provide a more customized experience. But, for anyone who happens into the store sans app, they can browse the "Connected Glass" shopping wall-a 17-ft.-long mirrored touchscreen with Rebecca Minkoﬀ digital content-everything from runway shows and photo shoots to social media. From there, visitors can select "send to my room" to initiate a one-on-one consult. There's another touchscreen inside the ﬁtting rooms, making them interactive. Thanks to RFID, the mirror recognizes items in the room, identifying other sizes and colors that are available in the store. If the customer needs a diﬀerent size, a touch of the mirror submits the request to a store associate equipped with an iPad. There's even adjustable lighting to simulate day to night illumination. "There are pain points in the shopping experience in traditional retail that I wanted to address," Minkoﬀ says. "More than anything, though, I wanted the experience to be easy...like being able to ask an associate for another size by simply touching the screen on our dressing room's 'magic mirror.'" When it's time to check out, the customer has a variety of payment options, including PayPal, to complete the purchase. And with that, a customer will ﬁnd her picks wrapped and ready at the door. Rebecca Minkoﬀ fans on the West Coast can shop the "connected" San Francisco store. A Los Angeles store is planned to open later this year. App-tastic. - Janet Groeber Photo courtesy of REBECCA MINKOFF http://www.DESIGNRETAILONLINE.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of design:retail - March 2015

Editor’s Note
Show Talk
On Trend
We Love This!
Designer Picks
Innovation
Postcard
Before & After
How’d They Do That?
Have You Heard?
Perspectives
Visual Eye
Searching for Steve Jobs
Markopoulos Award 2015
GlobalShop 2015: The Ultimate Show Guide
Las Vegas Retail A look at
McMillanDoolittle
PIRCH
WH|BM
T2
Verizon
Hedonism
Design Leaders Listing
Products
Backstory

design:retail - March 2015