General Growth Properties quietly launched "Me-ality" at North Point, Perimeter and Cumberland Malls over the past few weeks. Formerly knows as "My Best Fit," the units resemble those highly criticized units utilized by the TSA at airports to reveal what you may be hiding under your clothing. The device at the mall, however, takes precise measurements of a shopper's body in about ten seconds and then prints out "recommended " items, in my case, jeans from Levi's (via J.C. Penney) and American Eagle. I imagine the options for women are broader, and that options for men and women will both increase in the coming weeks.
For now, as it is still early, they have incentivised your purchasing by offering you a free $5 Starbucks gift card if you purchase one of the recommended items from the suggested retailer. Note though, that the purchase must be made the same day, and that it must be the exact item, style and size the machine said would be best for you. Simply purchasing "jeans" from American Eagle would not suffice.
While the retailers are undoubtedly paying for their merchandise to be "recommended," I wonder what they are hoping for ROI-wise from this unit. Of course, consumers could go to the retailer, buy the specified item, and then return the item after receiving their incentive.
A one time fan of Rock & Republic denim, my current go-to is 7 For All Mankind. The thing about 7s, though, is that a pair with the same waist as another pair may fit completely differently depending upon whether it's made of a 98% Cotton / 2% Elastane blend or whether it's 100% cotton. According to the on-site personnel, the Me-Ality system does not take fiber content into account when it recommends clothing, something that especially for jeans, I think it should do.
According to the Me-Ality website, the units are currently only at King of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia and North Point Mall but are "coming soon" to Illinois, Texas and Georgia. Further research indicates the unit is also currently available at GGP's Water Tower Place in Chicago, where GGP is based. Personnel are also being hired for Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin and Superstition Springs Center in Mesa, Arizona. All but King of Prussia and Superstition Springs are GGP properties with the others operated by Macerich and Simon, respectively.
The unit at Cumberland Mall is already getting a little famous with one user's shopping companion posting her reaction to the machine's "recommendations" on YouTube.
What do you think? Are you eager, or scared to try this new technology?
Side Notes
7 For All Mankind is not, and has never been, the same as "Seven" jeans.
7 For All Mankind in a brand under the V.F. Corporation umbrella.
Earlier this year, Rock & Republic was purchased out of bankruptcy by V.F. Corp, who in turn made the line exclusively available at Kohl's Department stores, with the line to debut at Kohl's next spring.
Yogen Fruz vacated their North Point Mall food court space a few days ago after a final notice of pending eviction was posted by the Fulton County Marshal's department.
Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur is scheduled to open their first of three planned Atlanta area locations at North Point Mall on November 5th.
7 For All Mankind is not, and has never been, the same as "Seven" jeans.
7 For All Mankind in a brand under the V.F. Corporation umbrella.
Earlier this year, Rock & Republic was purchased out of bankruptcy by V.F. Corp, who in turn made the line exclusively available at Kohl's Department stores, with the line to debut at Kohl's next spring.
Yogen Fruz vacated their North Point Mall food court space a few days ago after a final notice of pending eviction was posted by the Fulton County Marshal's department.
Davenport, Iowa-based Von Maur is scheduled to open their first of three planned Atlanta area locations at North Point Mall on November 5th.
4 comments:
36-24-36
Only if she's 5'3"
@ Anon,
You receive this weeks award for best comment!
Thanks for reading
Nobody knows what fits best on me but me. Seriously, I have to try on every piece of clothing I buy, that's how picky I am about fit. I'm sure enough people will be curious about it to make it a success though.
I tried it myself and was amazed about my results. There were stores that I wouldn't think about going into, but I tried the jeans on and they were a perfect fit! Amazing we should have had this along time ago.....
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