A while ago, we looked at the way in which digital advancements were changing the shopping experience. With new technology continually being implemented, we at The Practice were keen to revisit how our high-street is still digitally evolving.

Throughout March and into April, London’s Westfield Shopping centre has been demonstrating just how digital technology might one day be a part of the consumer experience. Westfield’s Shepherd’s Bush location, in partnership with London production company, Inition, has been playing host to an interactive pop up event entitled “Future Fashion”, allowing shoppers to experience virtual reality and interactive touch screens. Passers-by have had the chance to use an Oculus Rift headset, view video walls displaying current fashion trends, and use “Edit Me”, a touchscreen that allows the user to find specific outfits and locate them within the centre’s shops.  Back in 2012, Westfield held a similar event, offering shoppers the chance to experience a 3D catwalk show, create digital “Style boards”, share looks to social media with a fashion photo-booth, and interact with a tweet mirror. This year though, the centre has clearly shown how digital functionality can be taken to a whole new level, emphasising brand awareness and convenience.

Of course, retailers are already using some great in-store technologies to enhance the way we shop. Recently, we’ve seen interactive examples from the likes of Topshop, who displayed a virtual reality version of their Autumn/Winter 2014 runway show, in which customers could experience the live stream through VR headsets. And outdoor clothing company The North Face, recently announced exciting plans to introduce virtual reality to consumers, allowing them to immerse themselves in a tour of Yosemite National Park and Utah’s Moab desert, all from within the brand’s stores. In collaboration with cinematic production company Jaunt, the initiative was made possible using Google Cardboard, a wearable and highly affordable alternative to Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear, with real life scenery filmed on Jaunt’s 360-degree 3D cameras and microphones.

Aside from offering an exciting experience though, digital has permeated the retail environment to offer a user-friendly experience too. Already, we can use Tesco’s “Scan as you shop” feature which enables users to scan items with handsets attached to their trolleys as they add new items. M&S has also jumped on board with its “Browse and order” hubs, which allow users to browse its online catalogue from an iPad-like device, scan item barcodes, and order directly for collection or future delivery. Likewise, Debenhams’ flagship store on Oxford Street houses similar devices, video screens and tech points, which customers can use to order products in store. But one of the most useful and revolutionary initiatives was demonstrated by John Lewis, who last year launched an interactive in-store studio, helping customers to choose their new sofa. The store presented shoppers with a range of 3D printed sofa models and fabric samples, which could then be placed on an RFID “smart table”. In conjunction with each other, the model and fabric came together to create a finished look, viewable on a computer screen.

Do you think that digital will soon be an integral part of our shopping experience? And have you noticed any recent tech integration within our high-street stores? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so please tweet to us @PracticeDigital and share your comments on our Facebook page.