Very.co.uk trials digital windows

Fashion etailer Very.co.uk has unveiled a digital ‘window shop’ in Liverpool to push mobile sales over the festive period. Until January 6, the online fashion store will take over a shop front in the city’s shopping and leisure complex, Liverpool One,

to promote three key festive fashion trends, ‘Glitz and Glam’, ‘Rock Chic’, and ‘Snow Princess’, that have been tailored to Liverpool shoppers based on their purchasing habits.

The window features billboards that incorporate Near Field Communication and QR code functionalities, which allows passers-by with smartphones or tablets to scan and shop the collections on the Very.co.uk website. As an incentive all purchases ordered before 9pm will be delivered for free the following day.

Gareth Jones, group retail director at Shop Direct Group, the parent company of Very.co.uk, said: "As a successful pure-play etailer, bricks and mortar is not on our agenda. But vacant shop windows offer a unique digital opportunity to get our brands and products in front of shoppers while they’re already on the high street and in browsing or buying mode.”

With more than a third of traffic to the Very.co.uk website coming via mobile devices this trial is a way to extend the brand while on the move, and the brand has confirmed that if successful the concept could be rolled out to other cities across the UK in 2013.

Very.co.uk is known for its innovative marketing pushes, earlier this year the online retailer launched its first festival delivery service, allowing attendees of the V Festival to order and take advantage of the retailer’s free Collect+ service.