DDi - April/May 2011 - (Page 8)

8 | From the Editor Centiva Almax S.p.A. Radiant Mfg. The technology effect G lobalShop tends to have that effect on people. I’m not sure if it’s the long Las Vegas nights, the short West Coast mornings (for those of us whose internal Eastern clocks consistently wake us at 4 a.m.) or the slew of names, companies, products and people we come into contact with each day on the show ﬂoor—but the after-effect is quite dizzying. For me at least, the week after GlobalShop typically involves at least one trip to a day spa. The post-show recovery has been so intense this year, because the at-show content took a few giant leaps forward. The attendance, exhibitors and overall attitudes were up (as were spending budgets, so we’re told). This made for a level of excitement, buzz and activity this year that has been remiss in the last several years at the show, and a great sign for the industry in the months ahead. Technology can have that same dizzying effect, particularly in the retail setting. The trick is mastering how to best implement at the store level to enhance the experience, rather than just confuse or annoy the customer. Technology was certainly front and center at GlobalShop this year, from the Twitter wall at the show entrance, to the several vendors showcasing digital screens, mobile applications and even secure iPad displays on the show ﬂoor. I love how QR codes were even crafted directly into exhibitors’ product displays. Radiant Mfg. turned their glimmering curtain wall product into a full-scale QR code (and it worked, too!), and Centiva’s creative ﬂooring tile featured a link back to their Facebook page. (For more GlobalShop show coverage, see page 42 of this issue or visit www.ddionline.com/magazine.) At EuroShop in Düsseldorf, Germany, Almax S.p.A. even showcased the Eye See mannequin, powered by IBM, whose eyes function with facialrecognition technology, enabling the retailer to know exactly who is looking at their visual displays (and when and for how long). I kind of dig her keyboard-strewn top as well. What will they come up with next?! DDI wanted to investigate how retailers are implementing—in a non-dizzying way—new technologies into their store environments. In this issue’s “Multichannel Retail” section, Sheena Patel from GDR Creative Intelligence showcases for us 13 tried-and-true retail technologies (page 28) from around the world that have already been implemented and are making big impact in-store. You’ll also get an up close and personal look at the shopkick app (page 34), which has rapidly gained adoption in the U.S. market, as well as mobile retail (page 36) and how QR codes are being integrated into the marketing experience. And speaking of codes, Saks Fifth Avenue’s 10022-SHOE may be the only shoe department in the world with its own zip code, but it has been dethroned as the largest shoe department globally. Enter Selfridges newly re-hauled second-ﬂoor Shoe Galleries (page 24), with its 35,000-sq.-ft. monstrosity of a shoe department, carrying more than 100,000 pairs. Talk about dizzying. I don’t think my credit card could handle it—but there’s only one way to ﬁnd out… Alison Embrey Medina Executive Editor alison.medina@ddionline.com | April/May 2011 www.ddionline.com http://www.ddionline.com/magazine http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - April/May 2011

Ddi - April/may 2011
Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Greentailing
Editor's Choice
Design Snapshot
Channel Focus: Footwear
Multichannel Retail Section
Digital Engagement
Shopping for Kicks
Mobile Retailing
Right Light
Product Spotlight
Global Shop
Booth Winners
Speaker Sessions
Trends
Products
EuroShop Products
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - April/May 2011