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Fast Retailing is quickly making a name for itself in the innovative retail sector. The company, which is gunning for Uniqlo to to take over America, is now experimenting with a new shopping concept with another one of its Japanese brands, GU. The new plan allows for customers to test drive the clothes outside of the store before they commit to buying.
A Tokyo-based GU store (similar to a trendier, cheaper Uniqlo) will feature the new test-drive option, GU Fitting, until the end of the month. Customers can reserve up to three items in-store that they'd like to try on for the day and once their information (simply a name and phone number) is logged, they are free to leave the store and walk around all day in the GU clothes. At the end of the day, the clothes are dropped off back at the store and the customer has the option of either buying the outfit or walking out. The option is restricted to 30 customers per day, at three items per customer.
A GU fitting associate. Image via
There's no restriction on where to go or what one could do with the clothes on, so the company will probably have to deal with consumers who treat the service like a second closet for a day. Regardless, Fast Retailing doesn't seem to be too worried about the troublemakers because if this concept rates well among consumers they are already thinking about expansion plans. If the clothing is returned, "it will be used for display on a mannequin or tossed into the recycle bin" according to a GU spoksperson.
· You Can Almost Steal Clothes from This Japanese Store [Kotaku]
· Uniqlo's US CEO On How The Chain Keeps Its Prices So Low [Racked]
· How Uniqlo Plans to Become America's Top Retailer [Racked]
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