CornerShop taps latest tech to offer glimpse into future of retail

Capgemini Invent has partnered with SharpEnd on the launch of a new interactive retail store, CornerShop.

Located on the ground floor of The Drum Labs in Shoreditch, London, this taps various technologies to reimagine food, drink and fashion experiences.

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Steve Hewett, Head of Retail Customer Experience at Capgemini Invent, says: “While the long-term impact of the pandemic on retail stores is yet to fully reveal itself, the events of this year have radically escalated retailers’ need to build out their digital capabilities.”

Thanks to @CapgeminiInvent and @wearesharpend for hosting an insightful CornerShop virtual launch event this morning. An article on this new London-based interactive retail store will be live on the RTIH site tomorrow #retailtech #retailtechnology #retailnews #payments
— RTIH (@RTIH_RetailTech) February 3, 2021

“The industry is on the cusp of a new era, driven by advances in technology that are totally reshaping consumer expectations.”

“A glimpse at what retail could look like in the near future, CornerShop has been specially designed to bring to life the most innovative technologies and show brands how they can blend the physical and digital to create a seamless, differentiated in-store experience.”

A mobile app will lead people through the space and provide insights on the technologies and future concepts on display.

Thanks to Bluetooth-based location technologies, customers will be greeted with a personal message when they enter the store and offered details of previous visits and experiences.

Sensor tracking technologies, such as beacons, NFC and camera analytics, combined with data security and data governance/value exchanges, will generate actionable insights on customers and their behaviour in-store.

A Digi.me Virtual Try-On solution explores how users can see products on themselves without trying them on physically.

When an item is hung up on the virtual try-on display, computer vision and RFID identify the product, convert it into a digital image and map the customer’s face profile (set-up within the app) onto a model wearing it.

Through the app, customers will be able to share their individual needs, preferences, intolerances and sustainability goals, which the store will use to deliver product recommendations and insights.

The store will also house a virtual barista to serve customers a coffee contactlessly, a self-serve snack bar, and a touchless smart grocery section focused on helping consumers make sustainable and purposeful choices.