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Coast S/S 2013

Aurora continues iPad roll out

By Retail Technology | Friday June 28 2013

Coast, Oasis and Warehouse High Street stores focus on mobility to enhance customer service and offer multichannel customer strategy

Aurora Fashions, the group previously owning Coast, Oasis and Warehouse, has implemented a Wi-Fi network implemented to improve critical business information access via iPads. 

The group announced plans to spin Coast out as a separate business in March this year, retaining control over Oasis and Warehouse, but is still handling the IT for all three brands during a 12-18 month transition phase.

Building on an initial roll out of iPads in its flagship Oasis West End store (Oasis in digital store revamp, November/December 2011 Retail Technology magazine), followed by Coast, the group has since installed the technology into around 60 stores, with 22 stores fitted within a 3-week period.

The roll out is continuing throughout 2013, with a further 50 stores across all of the retailer’s brands in the UK and Europe.

Triple service capabilities 

The iPads deliver multi-point mobile services to complement its multichannel offering and enhance the customer journey. They provide mobile point-of-sale (MPoS) capabilities to speed of service and queue bust, while wall-mounted iPads in the changing rooms offer interactive marketing and improved customer information – displaying image and video content on seasonal ranges, specific products and special offers.

The project has been delivered by the brands’ in-house IT teams working in partnership with retail Wi-Fi and networks provider Vodat International and retail IT services provider Retail Assist, which also supplies the retailer its Merret supply chain system.

Richard Glanville, Aurora Fashions chief financial officer, commented: “The use of mobile technology in a retail environment has become a critical part of the multichannel journey. Being one of the first few fashion retailers to not just adopt iPad technology, but push the boundaries in terms of service delivered, demonstrates our innovation and ability to deploy solutions quickly - adding value for our customers in a competitive market.”

Customers instore can also use the Vodat Wi-Fi service to access the internet on their own personal devices, although the Coast, Oasis and Warehouse networks are restricted to the retailer’s iPads for security purposes.

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