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Window shoppers now have a new window

The Ralph Lauren Polo Store is reinventing window shopping by mounting a 67-inch touch-screen on its window display, where shoppers passing by can purchase merchandise. By CNBC's Scott Cohn
/ Source: CNBC

It’s a new way to do retail. From Tom Cruise’s finger tips in The Minority Report to shoppers on Madison Avenue.

The Ralph Lauren Polo Store is reinventing window shopping by mounting a 67-inch touch-screen on its window display, where shoppers passing by can purchase merchandise.

“Retail’s very much a impulse transaction. So, you’re on Madison Avenue, you’re on Fifth Avenue. You walk by and you want to buy it now. You may think, I’ll go home and order it, but you may forget. We want to capture the customers that want to show now”, said Paul Zaengle, Polo VP of Interactive Technology.

As an official sponsor of this month’s U.S. Open, the retailer is using the million-dollar technology to serve polo customers U.S. Open branded tennis apparel. And simply by tapping on the glass, customers can shop till they drop outside the store, 24-7. They use a credit card reader that is installed on the window. Shoppers can either pick up their purchases or have them shipped.

Worried about safety? A tiny camera watches over the area, along with a security guard, outfitted in Polo gear. Still concerned? Just have your wish list emailed to you and buy from home.

“Sometimes it’s time consuming to even do online shopping, although it saves you from going, and I love that. I love having it delivered to my door. Punch through and go down and pick it up, or go down to the coffee shop and pick it up later”, said Zaengle.

If successful, the company hopes to roll out more window touch screens to other locations. For now the window will be up through September and Polo is already