Zara connects online with offline in concept store

Spanish fashion chain Zara has opened a concept store in London, where it connects online and offline. Customers can still try out clothing in the store, but purchases are entirely handled online.

Interactive mirrors

Purchases made before 14h in the 200 sqm pop-up store will be delivered at home on the same day. Customers will also not run into employees at the cash register, because payments are entirely through Bluetooth, apps or a self-scanning cash register. The fitting booths are filled with interactive mirrors that make recommendations based on the clothing customers are trying on at that time.

The pop-up store will remain open until the end of May, at which time a London flagship store reopens after a complete renovation. The store will double in size, to 4,500 sqm, and will feature an area for online orders, where customers can simply pick up their clothing without the need for an employee’s intervention thanks to an automated warehouse behind the store. Customers simply have to scan an QR code or provide a pin number to receive their online order.

At the front of the store on the first floor, there will be glass wall with special sensors. These will project collections whenever customers approach the store. These innovations are “another milestone in our strategy of integrating our stores with the online world, which defines our identity as a business”, parent company Inditex’ CEO, Pablo Isla, said.