Retail & Business Technology - Part 2
Looking at more Tech changes to stimulate your thinking:
Texting a crappy nappy!
A new monitoring system built into baby clothes sends emails or text messages to parents warning them that a nappy change might be needed! It can also detect a baby’s heart rate and temperature. Sold in the US for $140, it detects moisture on the baby’s skin which indicates the nappy has begun to leak. A thread in the fabric senses electrical signals on the skin, when the skin is moist, the signal is stronger.
Click your mouse & have a wardrobe in 3 hours!
Welcome to the age of the e-tailor, where you can buy an outfit with the click of a mouse and be wearing it just hours later. Sites such as The Iconic and Style Thread now offer 3 hour delivery to certain areas for orders before 6pm - saving time, effort and parking fees. There is no competition on price, this is not sales shopping, however customer service and good product range is paramount.
Drive by shopping:
Woolworths is now cashing in on a new ‘fast-food’ market – drive by shopping. It operates a ‘supermarket-in-a-van’ on Parramatta Rd Sydney (a busy traffic artery in and out of the city).
Customers order online and simply pull into the petrol station to collect their bagged shopping ready to go. The service is simply an extension of their online grocery delivery service. Customers can collect at their convenience rather than waiting on a delivery to arrive.
Changing change rooms:
Cotton On clothing retail stores in Brisbane are using radio frequency identification tagging on their clothing. It triggers a private ‘mini-gig’ in the change room with music related to the item chosen as you try it on. That’s another way to engage with their Y generation customers and create a fun experience in store.
Facebook your friends:
Last year I mentioned the interactive mirror, well I discovered Sportsgirl fashion retailer are to begin using this technology. It works when customers photograph themselves in a potential new outfit via a reflective digital mirror near the fitting room. Using the mirror’s touch screen technology, customers can then share the photo directly to a Facebook or Twitter page, where they can receive feedback on their outfit. They can also shop directly from the Sportsgirl.com.au e-store. It will be launched in the Chapel St store Melbourne, with further locations to be announced.
For more info on this contact Matthew Gillan: matt@ecodigitalsolutions.com.au
Vision of the future:
From LA: Google are tipped to unveil a pair of hi-tech glasses with a built in screen by the end of the year. The ‘heads-up display’ spectacles which are armed with cameras are expected to cost as little as $250.
They will also have 3G or 4G data connection and a number of sensors including motion and GPS. They are reported to have a front facing camera used to gather information and could aid in augmented reality apps (whatever that means). They will be voice controlled, offer GPS, email and even video chat on the move – bringing you the latest information through a built in screen in front of the user’s eyes. This is real wearable computing. Google invests in research and development, allowing their engineers to work on projects such as connected fridges that order groceries when things run low.
Peter Irvine
www.peterirvine.com
Peter is Co-Founder of Gloria Jean’s Coffees, author of "Win In Business", speaker and business consultant.
'Failing Forward' is available for order at www.peterirvine.com.au
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