CLOTHING STORES AND DIGITAL GRAPHICS

Is it time for stores to think about how to use digital graphics to try to reduce costs and increase sales? I think so.

?Some digital showcases are already beginning to be seen, where high-brightness monitors replace signs and mannequins, but now I think the time has come to see what can be done inside.

?In my 36 years of experience in the textile world, and in particular IT related to textiles, I have learned to know the needs and problems of the sector, trying to give solutions to the various problems and needs encountered in a pragmatic way, trying to avoid proposals that they were beyond what the technique and the real application could offer at that moment.

?Today there are various proposals, mostly attempts, to insert digital graphics in stores, from "virtual mirrors" to attempts at "body scanners" to what is called "augmented reality", here I try to express what it is my thoughts about it.

?The store has as its main priority to sell, followed by the need to reduce costs as much as possible; therefore, it is necessary to find a proposal that is able to reduce costs and possibly increase sales, on the other hand it is necessary to see what the costs are, how much it impacts against habits and how much can be accepted by customers.

?What tools are needed and how much do they cost?

?Let’s starts with the hardware, a TOTEM (there are various types, I really think it should be interactive and connected to the internet), then are necessary programs or better still the services, installed on-site or provided online and therefore the costs for being able to create and manage the images that will be used to advertise and sell.

?Currently the costs are not exactly cheap (obviously it depends a lot on the offer), but generally, the costs are still very high and not all stores are able to support them.

?Our offer is very different, it includes hardware, software and services against a fixed monthly contract, and a trial period of a few months, where it will be easy to check if the new technology allows to increase profits (it will be easily check if there is an increase in sales and a decrease in costs or an increase in supply capacity), in this case we can define that it is at zero cost if it is true that the collections amortize, or rather give a greater profit, against the incurred costs.

?It seems easy, but it is not so, in order to maximize savings, the offer of this technology must come from clothing suppliers, who, using our software, have the opportunity to present their collection online, and can hijack this service. (with the appropriate modifications) to their customers so that it can be used in the store and also online for sale to the end customer.

?Obviously this technology makes changes to habits and methodologies necessary, even on the part of end customers, something which is already happening in part with online purchases.

?In practice, in a large part, the store should become the place where you go to view and try rather than buy and take home.

?To do this, however, some fundamental things are needed:

?1) The manufacturer must be able to meet on-demand requests

?2) The customer must be willing to accept the fact of waiting a few days before receiving the goods

?3) The store must have both digital and real availability to show and try what the customer wants to buy

?4) The store must participate in the profits of online sales

?5) ?For these reasons the final customers will be registered in the referenced store

?If this method were used on a large scale, there would be enormous benefits, waste would be significantly reduced, the same thing for costs (especially towards the end customer), in practice it would be produced almost exclusively on sales, warehouse costs would be drastically reduced, everyone would benefit from it, from those who produce to those who, in the end, will buy.

?This is the project we are carrying out, developing all the software and hardware necessary to be able to make this transition.

?The software allows the clothing manufacturer to be able to put their collection online in a simple, effective way and with very low costs, the same platform (the same data and images and an adapted software) is used by the stores to promote the sale and to demonstrate to customers the various items of clothing with all possible fabrics, moreover it can be used for online sales, where the shop is still involved and is, for the customer, the reference point for every need, from physical tests to possible complaints that may exist.

?Our project differs greatly from all those who are trying to attack the market today, the big difference lies in the involvement of the shop and manufacturer whether they are multi-brand, single-brand, or franchised stores, making the store more as a "guide shop" than a traditional store, pushing online sales more than direct in-store sales.