Hointer? That’s what they call themselves?
Well, apparently yes. The concept here is the target customer of the male persuasion is a “spearhunter,” someone who’d rather not shop for clothing, who’d prefer to interact with a gadget instead of a salesperson. Sounds like most guys we know.
Welcome to Hointer, fella. Utilizing QR Code-enabled technology and a whole lot of German robotics Hointer is reimagining shopping for men into a Zen-like experience.
The apparel is strung to bars with carabiners, easy to browse. After downloading the Hointer app, a shopper simply scans the QR Codes and selects a size. The information is sent over the Internet to a stockroom robot which finds the item and drops it via a chute into one of the store’s dressing rooms with a “whoosh” sound. One Yelper remarked, “don’t underestimate the whoosh.”
If he wants a different size, he can request it on his phone from inside the fitting room. A designated chute for the “no’s” whisks the rejects away and removes the item from the mobile app’s cart. “Yes’s” can be purchased while still in the dressing room by a wall-mounted tablet and a slide of a credit card.
This new hi-tech prototype clothing concept opened its first branch in Seattle selling men’s jeans using QR Codes. In its beta version, Hointer primarily stocks high-end denim and pants (over 150 styles) but recently launched tops as well, focusing on premium sweatshirts and hoodies.
How does this work? Every pair of jeans has a wireless tag. A robotic system is connected to the app. QR Codes are creating a new retail technology.