DDi - October 2010 - (Page 50)

50 | In-Store Technology Frame game Sunglass Hut unveils new interactive features By Janet Groeber new social-media-friendly technology is rolling out across Sunglass Hut stores, allowing customers to take pictures of themselves rocking out new shades and share them with friends and family on the Web. An interactive device enables shoppers to try on sunglasses, digitally capture and compare their looks, and share images by way of Facebook or other social networks. They can also opt to post the image on a 65-in. mounted, in-store digital wall monitor. This new experience—dubbed “Put Them On”—was designed for Sunglass Hut’s young, hip and tech-savvy consumer. The Mason, Ohio-based specialty store division of Milan-based Luxottica Group, Sunglass Hut went from concept to the initial pilot system’s deployment in three months. They leveraged three readily adaptable retail solutions from Westerville, Ohio-based Micro Industries A Corp. to create “Social Sun.” The system includes Micro’s all-in-one computer system and the Rapid Application Development Framework and Remote Managed Service from its mCosm affiliate. Social Sun runs on Micro’s Touch&Go Paige 17 interactive computers using Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Depending upon store site, units can connect to wired or wireless networks. “Social Sun allows us to further distinguish Sunglass Hut as a leader in retail innovation,” says Jack Krause, Sunglass Hut North America’s general manager. “The solution helps customers make a purchase decision, because they can see themselves as others do and get opinions from friends and family.” Customers also can e-mail their photos to themselves or friends, and post them to their Facebook account. They may select “be famous/be a star” by opting into an in-store marketing program, which allows select pictures to appear on the in-store digital signage and on the SunglassHut.com website. The technology has evolved since it debuted last year in eight key nationwide locations, spanning from California to Ohio to New York and Florida. Now up and running at more than 100 U.S. stores, the latest version of Social Sun includes additional features that allow for e-mailing multiple photos with a personal message to friends, along with the ability to choose from more than 100 clever headlines that can be applied to photos. The latest version also allows shoppers to scan a frame’s bar code and view options not available instore. “The most important new feature is the ability to incorporate e-commerce shopping, so that customers can purchase the most popular frames that are out-of-stock or other colors that are currently unavailable in the store,” says Mandy Curran, vice president of Micro Industries. Curran reports that customers are pleased with the cross-channel options. Now, she says, “They have the ability to buy exactly what they want, have them shipped to their home at no charge and receive a pristine pair of sunglasses, beautifully packaged.” ToÊ e-mailÊ thisÊ article,Ê visitÊ www.ddionline.com/magazine. |ÊOc toberÊ2010 www.ddionline.com http://www.SunglassHut.com http://www.ddionline.com/magazine http://www.ddionline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - October 2010

Display & Design Ideas - October 2010
Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Quick Tips
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Design Snapshot
Jets/Giants Pro Shop
Coming to America
DDI 2010 State of the Retail Design Industry
Channel Focus: Menswear
CB2
Right Light
In-Store Technology
Product Spotlight
Calendar
Advertisers
Ownership Statement
Classifieds
Shopping with Paco

DDi - October 2010