Fast-fashion behemoth Zara wants to add a high-tech touch to its in-store dressing rooms.
According to The Local, the Inditex-owned retailer is installing iPads in the fitting rooms of one of its biggest stores in Spain in an effort to enhance the customer experience by making it easier for them to try on items and request assistance without leaving the cubicle.
The idea is simple: Shoppers are encouraged to scan their items with the iPad as soon as they enter the room. Then, if they need a different size or want to try another color, they can use the tablet to call on an associate to bring it to them.
If the pilot is successful, Zara plans to roll out the program to the rest of its 2,000-plus stores worldwide. The retailer also intends to install a self-service checkout at its location in the Marineda City mall in La Coruña.
While “smart” fitting rooms are a newfangled addition to the world of cheap threads, a selection of high-end and mid-priced U.S. stores have been testing the tech waters for a while.
Earlier this year, Macy’s upgraded the women’s changing area in the swimwear and athletic department of its Manhattan Beach, California, store so that shoppers can use an app on their own smartphone or a company-provided tablet to select more styles and sizes without heading back onto the shop floor.
Ralph Lauren, meanwhile, takes it a step further in its Polo Fifth Avenue flagship in New York with a smart mirror. Not only can shoppers tap a “Get Assistance” button for help, they can select lighting options such as “Dusk” or “Club” to see how their outfit will look in different settings and use the “Complete the Look” function for style inspiration.