It’s no secret that artificial intelligence is changing the way retailers sell and how consumer shop.
Take Coach, the luxury apparel brand store that’s been based in New York City since 1941 and is now owned by parent company Tapestry (TPR).
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The retailer has leveraged AI in an intriguing and clever way in its SoHo flagship location and customers are enjoying the show.
When shoppers walk by the Coach location, they’re greeted by an augmented reality mirror that shows the shopper carrying the brand’s top-selling handbag, called Tabby.
The technology is straightforward enough.
The mirror generates a screen that displays a moving image in real-time. The AI software then adds a video layer showing the shopper carrying the bag either on their hand or strapped over their shoulder, which is what's reflected in the “mirror”.
The mirror’s augmented reality mirror and storefront technologies were supplied by Zero10, a New York-based AR company that’s also worked on similar projects with retailer Tommy Hilfiger. If the customer likes the Coach experience, that customer can download the image and share it on social media, using the Zero10 mobile app.
The Tabby Bag Coach project isn’t permanent, however – the retailer is only offering the mirror experience from May 5 to June 5.
So far, the Tabby Bag production seems to be a big hit with the public and with AR technology developers.
In a single week, the Zero10 team says people walking by the window and interacting with the mirror display rose by 93.5%, while in-store traffic rose by approximately 50%.
“It’s great to see iconic brands like Coach experiment and see the potential of AR solutions to work in a complex space to attract new customers, finding new channels of interaction with consumers and bringing a new exciting experience to the audience through technology,” said Zero10 CEO George Yashin.
The media has also noticed the mirror experience and likes what it sees, as well. Fast Company called the Coach AR mirror “the future of retail.”
CEO Yashin apparently agrees.
“Now the AR tool is a part of the physical store to drive foot traffic, but I truly believe that AR mirror will become a new type of retail itself,” he told Fast Company.
