Australian first: Geelong’s Cotton On is trialling its Try on Your Sound concept in Queensland.
By John Van Klaveren
GEELONG-BASED international retailer Cotton On has introduced musical fitting rooms in a retail first for Australia.
Marketing manager Mark Coombes said the fashion brand was “shaping the future of shopping” with its Try on Your Sound concept.
The initiative used radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to “enhance the customer experience”.
“Try on Your Sound combines music and fashion in an innovative way by creating a mini gig environment in the fitting room,” Mr Coombes said.
“Selected garments are tagged with a unique RFID code and when taken into the purpose-built fitting rooms the technology initiates a play list individually selected to reflect the style of the garment.”
Mr Coombes said the technology was designed to appeal to younger consumers.
“We know that Gen Y defines itself by music and that fashion is also a means of self-expression, so we thought ‘Why not combine the two’.”
The RFID system transmits electronic information between a garment tag and a reader via a wireless system. The system operates without requirements for human intervention or line of sight, with the computer activating when the garment and reader are in proximity.
Mr Coombes said Cotton On worked with a leading RFID engineering company, Unique Micro Design, to develop the technology.
The system debuted at a Cotton On store in Carindale, Queensland.
Mr Coombes said the company would expand the technology to other locations in coming months.
“In our search for tracks that reflected our garment styles we focused on hot-off-the-press, emerging Australian artists and cutting-edge international acts not yet spun on commercial radio.”
Mr Coombes said customer feedback would shape future applications of the RFID technology.
Cotton On Group encompasses seven brands, 8000 employees and almost 1000 stores in Australia, New Zea-land, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa, Germany and the USA.
