A next generation point of purchase system that uses the latest wireless communications standards in order to increase consumer purchase intent.
teamLabHanger Design Outline
teamLabHanger is a next generation hanger that delivers a unique sales promotion system by utilising the latest wireless communication standards. When a product displayed on teamLabHanger is picked up by a prospective customer, an associated promotional video or other such advertisement can be shown on a digital display. This is demonstrated in figure 1.
With conventional point of purchase advertising, individual products receive little attention when competing against a wide range of other products, thus making it difficult for lesser-promoted products to attain sufficient advertising effectiveness. By using the teamLabHanger, related advertisements grab the attention of the prospective customer, allowing the degree of attention paid to the product to increase – in turn encouraging the customer’s intent to purchase the product in-hand.
When combining teamLabHanger with POS data retrieved from a conventional register, you can acquire data based around the products that prospective customers picked up, facilitating advanced data mining that relates interest in products to actual sales data.
Fig. 1: Illustration of the teamLabHanger functionality:
- Pick up a hanger that was on display.
- Product information is sent from the sensor of the hanger to the receiver.
- The product information is processed locally, and a related advertisement is shown on a display.
- Information is gathered about which items were handled.
Development
Yukai Engineering Inc. was able to develop a hanger body which supports the latest wireless communication standards, as well as firmware for the teamLabHanger next generation sales promotion system.
Technical features of YE-HG001
A major technical breakthrough for the teamLabHanger is the inclusion of the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) wireless communication standard. BLE is the new low-energy version of Bluetooth, which is widely used around the world, and is capable of using only a fraction of the energy when compared to previous versions of Bluetooth. Specifically, one YE-HG001 unit is able to operate for about half a year on one coin-style lithium battery.
By utilising BLE standards, the maintenance costs of teamLabHanger are low, and the sales promotion system is easy to deploy.
Design features of YE-HG001
A key design strength of the teamLabHanger is its emphasis on general versatility. With support for many of the standard steel hangers manufactured by Taya Co, Ltd., teamLabHanger can be used to display not men’s and women’s clothes, but also bottoms and underwear – giving it a high level of versatility.
YE-HG001 is elegantly formed into an entirely flat housing of semi-transparent resin. This low-profile design allows for products to be displayed as intended, without interference.
Fig. 2: YE-HG001 appearance; Fig. 3: Final draft of YE-HG001 design:
Demonstration
The teamLabHanger has been deployed at various stores owned by VANQUISH Co. Ltd. It is available for demonstration at the following store:
Branch: Ikebukuro P’Parco
Period: 6 Sept 2012 – Present
Address: 1丁目-50-35 Higashiikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo 170-0013, Japan
Phone: +81 03-3461-5688
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Mon – Sun)
Access: Beside Ikebukuro Station
Corporate information
Yukai Engineering Inc.
President: Shunsuke Aoki
Employees: 6
Address: Nishida Building 1F, Shinjuku 1-31-8, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Phone/FAX: +81 03-6380-4710
Email: contact@ux-xu.com
Website: http://www.ux-xu.com
Team Lab Inc.
President & CEO: Toshiyuki Inoko
Employees: 300
Address: Hongo East Connection 5F, 1-11-61 Hongo, Bonkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Phone/FAX: +81 03-5804-2356
Email: lab-pr@team-lab.com
Website: http://www.team-lab.com
Further information or enquiries
President: Shunsuke Aoki
Senior Researcher: Reo Matsumura
Phone/FAX: +81 03-6380-4710
Email: contact@ux-xu.com
Website: http://www.ux-xu.com