shopping robots are here!
Uniqlo, my favorite store in the world, is getting robots. Not t-shirts with robots. Not cardboard cutouts of robots. But real-life shopping robots. They're coming to the Uniqlo Soho NYC store this fall.
While I'm more stoked than ever to see robots in retail, it poses many questions. Won't they require handlers? And then, what's the difference between a robot and a Disney character? If they don't have handlers, what's to prevent funny hyjinx like someone putting pants over the robot's head? Not that I would pull such a hilarious stunt, but I'm just wondering.
See you at Uniqlo.
Labels: newyork, pointofpurchase, retail, technology
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:05 AM
0 comments
retail: time to close the doors
NYC just passed a bill requiring retail chain stores to close the door if the A/C is on. Seems pretty logical. But if they close their doors, how will they pump the annoying Abercrombie music out onto the streets?
This is an interesting trend in the greening of retail. Architects, retailers and merchandisers should pay attention. Window displays and doors will have to welcome visitors in new ways - while being closed. Maybe doormen will come back. And elevator button dudes. The Greeter industry. Love it.
Photograph of the Kenneth Cole store's (wide open) doors from the NRDC
Labels: architecture, green, pointofpurchase, retail, trends
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:49 AM
1 comments
mannequins in miami have bigger boobs
Steve Portigal went on an unscientific mission to Miami, and checked out the mannequins. He thinks that they reflect the popular regional body types.
He might be right - none of the stores by my house have mannequins with big boobs. I'm pretty sure. It's not like I'm staring or anything. At mannequins.
Labels: pointofpurchase, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:21 AM
1 comments
coming to a main street near you
Streets looking barren, in the recession that's not a recession? Stores closing? Adfreak points out a really cool idea for dead store windows. Window projections. These could be awesome advertising delivery vehicles. Or art installations. Or even creative store displays for retailers still in business. So many awesome possibilities.
Labels: outdoor, pointofpurchase, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:44 AM
1 comments
does your store have soul?
Retail Design Diva went on a really fun and scientific shopping trip. They went down Madison Ave, for about 20 blocks. They weren't looking for bargains, or the latest fashions. They were looking for soul.
Most stores, as you might expect, felt very much like what Retail Design Diva calls "web stores" - "physical stores with merchandise, staff and everything you'd expect at a store, but operating as if they were little more then a Web site."
And only a handful had what they called 'soul'. That magic combination of product, ambiance, store design and clientèle that makes everything pop. Some of the winners on their trip included DKNY, Juicy Couture and Ralph Lauren.
I wish someone could fund them, and they could do a Manhattan-wide soul audit. And then turn it into a soul-shopping guide. That would be cool.
Labels: branding, design, pointofpurchase, retail
posted by darryl ohrt @ 8:29 AM
0 comments
signs, signs, everywhere are signs.
Eye Candy points to a sweet Flickr pool of sign photos. Signs can tell you so much about the culture and the times of their creation. One of my all-time favorite things to photograph, and view. This Flickr set is awesome.
Apollo sign above shot by Anglerove.
Labels: creativeinspiration, design, inspiration, outdoor, pointofpurchase, typography
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:18 AM
0 comments
big 'n' juicy needs big clean-up
To promote their new Big 'n' Juicy burger, the largest burger to ever grace the earth with its presence, McDonalds created fun instore signage. They're actually super giant napkin dispensers. We could use one of these in our office.
Labels: ads, pointofpurchase, retail, yummyfood
posted by darryl ohrt @ 7:20 AM
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