Ish Patel talks Aurora's Ipad Pos system and multichann​el

With the recent announcement from Aurora fashions – which includes the likes of Warehouse, Coast, Karen Millen and Oasis under its high street retail banner – that they are installing a new Ipad Pos system enabling customers to ‘purchase on

the shop floor,’ and the very first of its kind in UK retail. FashionUnited caught up with Ish Patel, Group Strategic Development director at Aurora Fashions to find out his thoughts on the new system and where multichannel will take the retail experience.

“If I had to sum up the new Ipad solution, I would say its bringing retail, access, engagement and the in store experience together. Beyond just making transactions, retailers now need to keep challenging themselves to develop what’s on offer; the Ipad Pos enables an extended aisle service,(consumers needn’t just queue at the till), instant access to information usually sourced through the web, and access to stock from the warehouse and other stores,” says Ish Patel.

But how did the idea first come about and was it long in the offing? “The remarkable thing about this new technology has in many ways been the ease and rapid implementation. We first met with our wireless network provider, BT Expedite, in May to look into research. What we drew from it was the overall feeling from consumers of wanting the same brand experience across all channels - It’s remained a focus throughout the project. Initially the idea was to make the till system work on a tablet, but we came to see that the usability on the Ipad was so much better. And 10 weeks on the service is now integrated in 8 ‘trial’ stores across London and Oxford.”

The results? So far so good. “We’ve taken a very collaborative approach – store managers and staff have been involved in the whole process so the transition has actually been smooth,” assures Patel. “It’s integrated into the sales channel by moving the focus away from the till towards the fitting room area – consumers like the idea of taking a picture of themselves in pieces and uploading them to email.” But have there not been plans to follow the route of some department stores and implement augmented reality? “We will be going in the augmented reality direction but not straight away. This Ipad solution system will also enable the team to challenge ourselves and assess areas of strengths and weaknesses.” And where have they found those to be? “Well the very first thing we’ve had to question is the store layout and design; where now the till need not be such a focus. Moreover though, ultimately, this system can do multiple functions, such as reducing technology in store and keeping the amount of printed material down.”

And whilst we keep hearing this term, ‘multichannel’ over and over, where do you see it developing as the concept of brands aiming for multichannel seems to have become saturated? “I agree the term has become slightly confused. Previously some chains would have a store, a website and facebook and then call themselves multichannel. However moving forward, I think true multichannel is when consumers gain a seamless experience between all channels; where we take all the touch points and bring them together and where multichannel becomes less about the ‘channels’ and more about the engagement.” And what’s the next stage? “I think it is about making one channel which can be used in multiple ways.” And looking at the broader picture, how do you see the future of retail? “It will become a lot more mobile whether consumer or corporate led. And I think we will see huge competition from overseas. Ultimately the past few years have been tough for retailers but where it’s tough, you have to be bold and developing multichannel is the key.”