Another Aurora Fashions brand harnesses technology to personalise shopper experience and maximise Olympics footfall

Occasionwear specialist and Aurora Fashions brand Coast last Friday opened its first flagship in the UK on London’s Oxford Street.

At more than four times the size of traditional Coast stores, the £1-million flagship launch has been timed to benefit from increased footfall expected during the Olympic Games. 

Five transactional iPads and two iPod Touch devices have been deployed to enhance assisted service and point-of-sale mobility, much like those first introduced at sister brand Oasis late last year.

The Coast iPads will also display information in 10 languages to ensure accessibility for international visitors to the West End.

Enhancing the personal service

The store will also offer a bespoke service, Coast by Appointment, to guarantee a more tailored visit for groups of friends or individuals. Customers will be able to book one-to-one appointments online in advance, notifying a dedicated Occasionwear Specialist of the nature of their forthcoming special event and a wishlist of items to try on when they arrive at the store’s private dressing room.

Coast plans to roll the store concept out to key regions in the UK and overseas, beginning with Manchester, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The brand grew its international store portfolio by over a third last year and now has 348 outlets across the world, with the Middle East proving to be on of its fastest growing markets.

Margaret McDonald, managing director of Coast, commented: “With the eyes of the world on London right now, I can’t think of a more perfect time to open the doors of our new flagship store on one of the country’s most iconic shopping streets.”