UGG Australia has opened a digital concept store in suburban Washington, D.C., that does away with cash registers and lets customers design their boots on large touchscreens, according to the Washington Post.
The new 2,110-square foot store in Tysons Galleria will double as an innovation lab where the retailer can test new ideas and approaches before rolling them out company-wide.
While there’s nothing especially new about handheld point-of-sale devices, the store’s four 65-inch touchscreens represent a dramatic departure, letting customers research and customize items, including the company’s boots, jackets, pajamas, even area rugs and chairs.
RFID tags in merchandise available in the store will also let the screens offer suggestions based on what shoppers are holding in their hands or trying on their feet. Along with size and color options, the screens will display style tips and videos related to a particular item that the customer is trying on. Shoppers can also send themselves SMS texts with a product link right from the screens.
The new store is the retailer’s second concept store, joing the UGG “Brand Showcase” store near Santa Barbara, Calif. The chain will be using it to test the latest omnichannel models, merchandising approaches and other innovations that can be deployed across the chain, the company said.
