News

AOPEN showcases digital signage at Gen2 Australian Retail Lab

Digital signage specialist AOPEN Inc. is opening a multimillion-dollar lab in Melbourne aimed at showcasing "the future of shopping and retail technology, from transparent displays and digital labels to virtual touchscreens and waiter-less restaurants," the company announced.

August 26, 2014

Digital signage specialist AOPEN Inc. is opening a multimillion-dollar lab in Melbourne aimed at showcasing "the future of shopping and retail technology, from transparent displays and digital labels to virtual touchscreens and waiter-less restaurants," the company announced.

The company's Gen2 Retail Evolution Lab in Melbourne is the next generation of AOPEN's Retail Experience Labs, currently installed in Taipei, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Brazil, London and Italy.

Gen2 takes a broad focus by looking at in-presence digital anywhere a transaction occurs, the company said. It features hospitality and government services as well as retail. Partners include PayPal, Intel, Nuon and Red, as well as point-of-sale innovation and analytics specialists, according to the announcement. Foundation clients in Australia include tier-one supermarket chains, Super Cheap Auto, Bedshed, Bunnings, DHS My Gov, Helloworld and Laminex.

AOPEN CEO Stephen Borg said in the announcement that the aim at Gen2 is to show how digital can propel traditional retail and drive sales.

"In-store retail is all about experience, and the Gen2 Lab will be a permanent place where retailers can design custom stores with the latest in retail technology," he said. "Using digital signage, touch devices and facial-recognition and sensory technologies, they can bring the best of the Web in-store, enhance customer experience and counter showrooming by supporting sales conversions.

"As well as bringing next generation retail technology to Australian retailers, Gen2 also takes Australian retail innovations to an international audience through our Retail Labs around the world."

Some of the latest technology on display includes:

• No more queues for coffee - A café window is turned into a touchscreen, so instead of having to wait in line, customers can order coffee before they enter and even pre-pay. OpenOrder works via a 55-inch through-glass projection and is integrated with PayPal's digital wallet system. Shoppers' choice of drink and food, plus their photo pop up on the barista's screen, so they know who's ordered what.
• Fashion store: open all night - The glass projection touchscreen can also be used to give customers 24/7 access to a fashion retailer. Using OpenOrder they can select the clothes they see on a shop window mannequin, pick the sizes they want, and order.
• Design-your-own cocktails - Why jostle with the crowd at the bar or wait ages for a cocktail server to visit the table? Instead, the out-of-store order and payments process is embedded into a touchscreen table that even allows customers to design their own drinks based on available ingredients. If the bar or kitchen runs out of a particular ingredient it automatically disappears from the selection. Restaurants can also adjust specials throughout the night based on stock levels.
• Corporate check-in - Using an eTile, check-in becomes a quick and easy process. Visitors simply enter their name and company via a touchscreen tablet in reception, and their details and photo are printed on a badge. The system also sends an email to notify whomever they're visiting that they've arrived.
• Interactive changing room - Picked out the wrong size clothing or want to try another colour? The eTile tablets enable interactive changing rooms where shoppers can simply scan the label of what they're trying on, and request a different size. The sales assistant automatically gets notified on their tablet. The system can also suggest accessories to go with the outfit the shoppers has chosen.

AOPEN will also be running ongoing master classes, drawing on global experts to bring in the latest thinking on in-store experience and omnichannel marketing to Australian retailers. NAB has signed on to conduct one of the first AOPEN master classes exploring user experience for retailers interested in retail banking.