The Eyes Have It

When you move beyond the basics, shopping is all about the experience. Just ask the consumer.

Better yet, head to a nearby Sunglass Hut store and watch shoppers using Social Sun, an interactive device that lets them try on sunglasses, digitally capture and compare their looks and share images with family and friends. Judging from the line of shoppers awaiting their turn to slide in front of the touch screen and engage, the technology is encouraging customers to linger longer and interact with a broader swath of product.

“The momentum, enthusiasm and curiosity that Social Sun garnered right out of the box told us early on that we had a winner on our hands,” says Mark Weikel, senior vice president and general manager for Sunglass Hut North America. Social Sun “represents the convergence of traditional, digital and mobile retail — and it does it in a way that makes it fun.

“It’s a playground for fashion lovers of premium sunglasses,” he says. “It’s about finding your ‘cool.’”

The specialty retailer began testing the technology about a year ago in a handful of units in high-traffic locations like Miami, Times Square and Beverly Hills. When Sunglass Hut opened its bigger, trendier stores in New York and London this spring — the first of 10 flagships that are expected to open within the next three years — Social Sun was prominently featured.

The hardware, application and remote managed service were developed and installed by Micro Industries and its mCosm affiliate. Social Sun runs on Micro Industries Touch&Go Paige 17 interactive computers using Intel Core 2 Duo processors; the units can connect to wired or wireless networks, depending on the store. The newest implementations allow shoppers to scan the bar code of a frame and see options that may not be available in the store.

Mandy Curran, vice president of marketing at Micro Industries, attributes the success of Social Sun to a simple truth: “A picture provides a different perspective.”

Sunglass Hut executives “knew that the best way to get shoppers to evaluate a purchase was to get them to try the sunglasses on,” she says. “They also recognized the importance of getting feedback from a friend or a significant other who may not be shopping with them.

“The first thing we all do when we’re trying on sunglasses is turn to the person we’re with and ask for their opinion,” she says. “Social Sun invites shoppers to try on lots of product and share it with friends – and best of all, it’s a fun experience.”

Leveraging the future of retail
The Social Sun technology has been rolled out to about 100 units, and Weikel says executives plan to continue investing in the device. How many of Sunglass Huts’ 2,000-plus stores will be outfitted with interactive computers remains a moving target, but since the device is currently exclusive to the sunglass specialist, industry watchers expect the company to expand quickly.

Though Weikel is reluctant to share just how many Social Sun shoppers actually turn into buyers, there’s little doubt that he’s pleased with the results. “Sunglass Hut is dedicated to being fresh and relevant and staying in sync with our tech-savvy customers,” he says. “This is only the beginning — we’re already working to identify the future of retail and what steps we can take to be ahead of the curve.”

One idea in play calls for the retailer to leverage and incorporate advertising. It’s also important against the backdrop of Sunglass Hut’s plan to elevate the popularity of designer sunglasses to the stratosphere of “it” accessory.

Sunglass Hut recently named Rachel Bilson style director, and merchants have been expanding the store’s eyewear inventory to include more items from leading designers such like Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Chanel and Polo Ralph Lauren – along with an array of exclusive designs. Plans call for merchants to update the assortment more frequently, with new collections arriving twice a month during the spring and summer selling seasons.