Not a day goes by when we don’t hear about some new innovation in the world of technology – increasingly, the kind of tech upgrades you can expect are all about making life easier for us. We don’t need to walk into town to buy food anymore – we can order it online. We don’t need to go out and buy a recipe book – we can just download an app to help us out with the cooking.
Because eCommerce continues to grow, it’s no surprise that businesses are increasingly turning to internet innovations to sell their products. Here’s just a handful of some of the most impressive ones on the market right now.
Suits you sir…
Clothes shopping can be a bit of a pain, especially on the weekend when the changing rooms are packed with shoppers. Buying clothing online is now an option; but how can you be certain without trying clothes on that you’ve chosen the right fit?
That’s what Fits.me set out to solve. The online tool allows shoppers the chance to customise mannequins according to their own body shape, so they can see which size they need to choose. The virtual fitting rooms are set to be installed in many high-street chains, making returns thanks to the wrong size a thing of the past.
Figleaves, a luxury lingerie retailer, recently launched an online fitting room to help women find their right bra size before purchasing one on the site. The interactive guide allows online shoppers to get all the information they need without having to go into a shop.
Bridging the gap
You usually don’t have to go far these days before there’s some mention of social media somewhere…and the Brazilian retailer C&A has gone that step further and brought Facebook into their physical stores.
LCD screens installed into clothes hangers show how many Facebook ‘likes’ each outfit has garnered – these ‘likes’ are updated in real time.
And it looks like augmented reality could be the next big thing for shopping, if Japanese food company Yihaodian’s plans are anything to go by. The chain has plans to open up 1,000 augmented reality supermarkets, which can be found in street squares and plazas by holding up a smartphone or tablet device the ‘browse’ the shop like a real one.
Who knows what tech will benefit businesses next?
Photo credit: Intel Free Press
