Men (and women, I suppose), your shopping experience has just been streamlined. Intellifit Corporation launched a pilot program in six malls around the country utilizing search and body scanning technology to size up customers and locate clothing for them.
Intellifit’s patented Find What Fits technology allows shoppers to enter a cylindrical glass booth to have their bodies scanned for their exact sizing and then searches a retailer database for apparel that should fit. The idea is cut down on hauling racks of clothing around various stores to dressing rooms and thereby saving time and energy.
The system will be set up kiosk style in malls owned and operated by Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) in Philadelphia, Paramus (NJ), Tampa, Los Angeles, McLean (VA), and Chicago within the coming weeks.
“By using Intellifit kiosks in malls, more shoppers will be able to quickly and conveniently find the brands, styles and sizes of clothes that fit them best across all participating apparel retailers,” said Ed Gribbin, president of Intellifit.
“In about 30 seconds, Intellifit can virtually eliminate the hassle of dragging armfuls of clothes into fitting rooms because shoppers generally don’t know what sizes will fit them best in the hundreds of different brands they see.”
Unlike earlier body scanning technology, which required customers to put on a Lycra bodysuit, the low power radio wave scanner allows the body to be scanned through everyday clothing. After about 10 seconds, the body is measured and then matched up though a Find What Fits touch-screen search engine.
Once brands, styles, and retailers have been located, the Intellifit System prints out the information for quick retrieval. The system also provides a “fit profile” for online shoppers to use and to prevent the need for a refitting.
The word is still out as to when bank-like pneumatic tubes to shoot boxer shorts at shoppers will be available.
The first of these kinds of fit-and-search systems was installed in mid-2004 and has been used by Macy’s, Levis, Dockers, Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, and others.
Levis Strauss & Co. tested the system in eight cities and found that the Intellifit System increased store traffic, conversion, and sales in every market.
