6thStreet collaborates with Nanovo, opens region’s first phygital store

Retail is on the brink of a new era defined by technological advancements and in-store technologies. In a matter of few years, artificial intelligence will transform both back-end operations and day-to-day customer shopping experience.

Keeping this in mind, Apparel Group’s online fashion retailer 6thStreet has opened its first phygital retail space in the region at Dubai Hills mall. Phygital combines both physical and digital aspects of the shopping experience in one store.

Hitting the ground running is Nanovo, a Polish technology company specialising in creating digitised retail and service spaces.

The company has set its foot in the region by collaborating with 6thStreet to launch their first brick and mortar store. The result is a cutting-edge, digitally driven phygital space where 6thStreet.com customers can experience both online and offline shopping preferences.

Nanovo was involved at every step of the store from consultation and programming to implementation. The digital experiences and tools were seamlessly integrated into the new store using their signio software and platform.

المحل الأول من نوعه في الخليج! الآن في دبي هيلز مول

The GCC’s first ever Phygital store is now open! Come find us at Dubai Hills Mall!

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Check out our bio to view the products!#6thStreetstyle⁠ pic.twitter.com/FbCbwwau4p

— 6thStreet.com (@shop6thstreet) September 15, 2022

Customers at the 6thStreet store can select from more than 40,000 products at the self-service terminals, try them out in an automated and interactive fitting room and complete their final transaction in the most convenient way.

Nanovo also designed a seamless and efficient communication network with in-store warehouse systems, so that orders are transferred from digital terminals in the store space to the warehouse systems. Moreover, customers in the interactive fitting rooms now have the luxury of expanding their shopping basket and adding sizes or changing colour preferences directly from the fitting room without any staff.

“Retail digitalisation needs to be at the core of the growth strategy for any forward-thinking organisation. Our pioneering concept bridges the gap between physical stores and a brand’s omnichannel and digital services, providing the shopper access to a wide range of goods in the digital sphere giving them choice, convenience, and the ability to customise their visit to the store,” said Dadi Motiwalla, MD, Nanovo MENA and the Far East.

“We love our work but what grows us the most is our dynamic, challenging clients. We are proud to support 6thStreet.com in its omnichannel vision. GCC’s first phygital store shows how retail will change in the near future. The dynamic nature of the e-commerce and retail industry in the MENA region is what we believe creates great potential for growth,” added Dariusz Sobczak, Nanovo’s co-founder.

“Nanovocombines hardware, space ergonomics and software into an integrated and functional entity. Thanks to our seamless integration and implementation of the physical store combined with our e-commerce platform, today customers in the 6thStreet.com boutique can shop in a manner they are familiar with from their online experience,” concluded Piotr Badowski, founder and CEO of Nanovo.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Teleworking Applications said,“6thStreet.com’s first physical store is a testament to the UAE’s leadership in future technologies and a reflection of the country’s status as a global shopping and tourism hub. Packed with pathbreaking artificial intelligence applications, it’s part of a new generation of smart retail brands boosting traditional industries and simultaneously strengthening the nation’s digital economy.”

6thstreet has invested in digital transformation not only to drive top-line growth, but also to streamline efficiencies across the value chain. Dharmin Ved, founder and CEO, 6thStreet.com said, “the 6thStreet.com store offers tangible proof of how AI and Machine Learning can be leveraged to create an exciting new store format as well as to create new opportunities for the retail sector, delivering speed, cost and sustainability benefits. The nurturing ecosystem created by the UAE government allows ambition and innovation to thrive, so it is only fitting that we launched our first phygital store in Dubai.”