Retailers have long embraced the potential of the internet to offer their customers more ways to personalise their products, but increasingly they’re now using technology to bring those options on to the shop floor. A case in point is Polo Ralph Lauren’s new flagship London store at 169 Regent Street, where they’re offering their customers the opportunity to design their own version of the classic Polo shirt, an Oxford shirt or a blazer instore.
In a world where we’re all becoming increasingly accustomed to being able to buy bespoke items tailored just for us, Polo Ralph Lauren believes this move will offer customers a richer in-store experience. While they already offer customisation online, The Polo Custom Shop will also offer some exclusives designs related to the Regent Street location which they think will drive customers into the store. The London branch is the first Polo Ralph Lauren store in the world to offer this kind of service, although if its early popularity is anything to go by it won’t be long before it’s being replicated around the world. Polo Tshirt
The Shop offers a wide range of options that let shoppers individually tailor their outfits. As well as choosing the shirt’s colour, on the right side of the chest you can choose from 24 different international flags, while on the left-hand side there is the option of seven different traditional-style crests or a range of artwork including variations on the iconic Polo pony, Polo bears or dogs including the bulldog and the corgi.
On the back of the Polo shirts, customers have the option of adding a name of up to ten letters, in one of 12 font variations, above up to two numerals. Monogrammed initials can also be included within the traditional crests, a service which is already proving particularly popular when added to the Polo Ralph Lauren blazer. All designs are created first on an iPad so that customers can see exactly what they’re getting.
Simple personalised elements can be added and returned on the same day, while more complicated additions can take a little longer so the store offers free home delivery for this reason. This merging of the online and offline shopping experience seems a logical step for Polo Ralph Lauren, allowing customers to combine the tactile real-life shopping experience with the multiplicity of options afforded online. The days of just picking an identical item off the rail may soon be numbered.
The Polo Custom Shop is at Polo Ralph Lauren at 169-173 Regent St, Mayfair, London W1B 5TQ
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
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