Neiman Marcus Tests New Smart Mirrors
By Brianna Ahearn, contributing writer
Shopping for clothing is about to become even more high-tech for Neiman Marcus customers. The luxury department store is unveiling a pilot test of their new smart mirrors from MemoMi Labs. The mirrors, known as Memory Mirrors, will help customers try on clothes virtually, and integrate with the existing retail space. Neiman Marcus installed two Memory Mirrors in its Walnut Creek, California store, and has plans to install more in their San Francisco and Dallas stores, according to a recent article from The Washington Post.
The process is easy and begins with a customer trying on outfits in the traditional fitting rooms, then heading to the mirror on the sales floor. The mirrors are controlled via iPad, with the customer instructing the mirror to save their image. They can compare other outfits they've tried, using the mirror to compare the outfits side-by-side. There's no limit noted for the number of clips a customer can take, and using the mirror, they're able to digitally change clothing colors to see if how they look in a red outfit versus the same piece of clothing in blue.
This past October, Neiman Marcus introduced a new feature in their app that would allow shoppers to snap an image of an outfit or accessory, and then be taken to similar items on the retailer's mobile site. Now they're taking a new step into bridging the physical aspects of clothes shopping with a virtual technology with the Memory Mirrors. Neiman Marcus is excited to see how well the new mirrors perform with customers. The technology even allows the retailer's sales associates to send personalized recommendations directly to the consumer.
"When I saw the technology for the first time, it was love at first sight," says Scott Emmons, an enterprise architect at Neiman Marcus and leader of their innovation lab. "I knew this was an experience our customers would love."
Enhanced with an Intel Core i7 processor, the mirrors let customers access several features and improve their shopping experience. Customers are able to set up their own account, and securely store videos from their shopping trip, and they may access this data from a mobile device to share with friends and family. The mirror offers a 360-degree view for shoppers to see clothing fit from every angle, to make a more informed choice. For now the mirrors are on the sales floor, though Neiman Marcus has stated they will have a camera-less version in fitting rooms.
Neiman Marcus is sure to make waves with the addition of mirrors to their store, and as the San Francisco Business Journal reports, the retailer has the exclusive access to the mirrors, which MemoMi Labs customized to their needs. As Macy's adds “smart dressing rooms” and other retailers strive for a more connected store, Neiman Marcus is likely ahead of the curve. The luxury goods retailer will evaluate how well the mirror perform in their three pilot stores and decide whether they should do a rollout to other store locations. In the meantime, Neiman Marcus will be able to analyze the collected data and study in-store consumer behavior.