A connected changing room concept is to be launched by Microsoft and Accenture.

Currently live in the US, the fitting rooms which detect the products a customer tries on, are soon to hit British retailers.

Brendan Mislin, senior manager at Accenture, told Retail Week that the technology is currently being used exclusively by US department store Kohl’s, and they are keen to get started in the UK. “We’re in talks with some nice, big UK retailers. I can’t name any names yet, and I don’t have a specific time frame, but I’d like to get the process started as soon as possible,” he said.

Apparently these interactive changing rooms could help retailers to increase customers’ basket sizes in store in three ways: by telling the customer the product range available to them, by alerting staff to customer requests, and by giving recommendations.

The technology works by detecting tagged items as they enter the fitting room and displaying them on a screen. When working to its full potential, the customer is provided with a mass of production information such as whether their items come in different colours and sizes, and whether these are available in store. The customer can then use the system to reach the shop assistants and let them know that they need additional service such as a particular item in another size or style. Finally, the system can interact with the customer and make suggestions and provide the retailer with product reports. “The data can tell you which items are the most popular in the fitting room. Retailers can use this information to decide which items are placed at the front of a display. And if an item is exchanged frequently for size, you can pass that information onto store staff,” Mislin said.

The duo may expand the concept further by adding a homeware and mobile phone store elements. “It’s all about combining the best of in store with the best the best of web,” adds Mislin.