Augmented Reality App Gives Consumers X-Ray Vision

Moosejaw, an online outdoor clothing retailer, have released their winter catalogue with a difference. Readers can install the Moosejaw ‘X-Ray App’ on their smartphone (iOS/Android) or tablet (iPad) and, through augmented reality technology, see what the models are wearing underneath the fleeces and ski jackets!

The reader opens the app on their device and holds it over the image in the catalog to reveal the model in their underwear.

A clever tactic to motivate people to pick up a catalog. It also serves to innovatively bridge the gap between traditional print advertising and marketing and digital media which fits well with the needs, and target audience, of an online retailer.

Moosejaw X-Ray App from Gary Wohlfeill on Vimeo.

Stepping into the Future of Retail

Next time you walk into a shoe shop you may be greeted by the glare of wall-to-wall plasma screens rather than ‘eau-de-new shoes’. As of next year shoe shops and other stores may be going virtual, transforming shop walls into selling machines.

Retailers have long-since been struggling with a conundrum – how to have ample ‘floor space’, showcase as much stock as possible without cluttering the store front and yet have plenty of stock storage room. Intel have now potentially solved that problem by creating a ‘virtual footwear wall’ which can display thousands of products.

Intel partnered with Adidas to showcase how the wall would work with ‘adiVerse’. Shoppers can browse a massive array of up to 8000 shoes, viewing selected trainers from multiple angles, getting additional information and even video content where available. You can even see what people are saying about the shoe on social networks…viewing Twitter feeds and Facebook comments. Interestingly customers are given a tablet PC by a staff member in order to purchase the item, signing up for an account and giving Adidas a chance to capture customer info such as email addresses for further marketing initiatives.

Chris Aubrey, VP, Global Retail Marketing for Germany-based Adidas said: “We’ve leveled the playing field for small retailers…They can now act like a big flagship store in a town like New York.”

A prototype is expected to be rolled out in the UK next year. Watch this video with Aubrey for more info and to see the wall at work:

(h/t Fast Company)

UK Internet Industry Worth £100b

A new report on the UK’s internet economy has been released. Postitioning the UK as “The Connected Kingdom“, the report states that the UK internet economy is worth £100b -- 7.2% of GDP. This figure is predicted to grow to 10% by 2015.

Commissioned by Google UK but researched and written independently by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the report reveals that SMEs are fueling much of this growth. More than 900 small and medium enterprises were surveyed by BCG highlighting that the companies that actively use the Internet reported overall sales growth more than four times greater than that of less active companies.

This video (below) gives an overview of the key stats and includes some brief case studies on some UK SMEs for which the web is integral to their business success.

So how far behind our neighbours are we in the e-commerce stakes? Continue reading »

Get Digital at a Free Conference in Dublin

It’s great that more and more free business events and networking evenings are springing up around the country. One such event is “Get Digital!” which is taking place on 22 October 2010 at DCU Business School.

The event is being run by DCU Business School with the DCU LINK Research Centre’s Techspectations Initiative and is supported by North Dublin Chamber of Commerce. The aim of the ‘mini-conference’ and workshop is to “introduce Irish business people and small to medium sized enterprises to digital marketing and e-commerce“.

They have some great speakers lined up (see below). Register here if you’d like to attend.

I’ve copied the programme info below and you can visit the Techspectations site for more details on the speakers.

Programme Continue reading »