Tokyu Department Stores and Hitachi collaborate on demonstration at three stores in Tokyo: Creating a new shopping experience by implementing small unattended stores

Tokyu Department Store Co., Ltd. and Hitachi, Ltd. are commencing a demonstration experiment using Hitachi's CO-URIBA small unattended store service. The demonstration provides a new shopping experience at three Tokyu stores in Tokyo's Shibuya district: Tokyu Honten (Main Store), Shibuya Hikarie ShinQs, and +Q Beauty (sixth floor of Shibuya Scramble Square shops and restaurants). It is hoped that the service will attract customers and encourage them to visit Tokyu's other stores.

The first demonstration was conducted at the stores from September 15 to 21 during a cosmetics fair, and another is being conducted between October 27 to November 9. Specifically, customers who purchase cosmetics at sales floors with CO-URIBA or beauty/relaxation stores with the service will be given service tickets that can be used at other stores with CO-URIBA or receive samples of cosmetic brands sold at other CO-URIBA locations. Through the demonstration, Tokyu and Hitachi are attempting to verify whether they can attract customers and then encourage them to visit other stores based on demographic and behavioral data.

The companies will collect data such as user activity logs from highly accurate sensors installed on product shelves and ceilings and analyze them in combination with survey results. These results will then be used in various marketing measures, such as sales promotions via the LINE messaging app and guidance via sign-based advertising. The companies hope to promote the transfer of customers between stores and have them reciprocally use stores.

They also hope to verify the usefulness of CO-URIBA as a new shopping experience while confirming customer needs and uncovering previously unknown customer needs and interests, aiming to further improve value from customer experiences and services.

CO-URIBA is a small unattended storefront service that combines sensors to produce activity logs, data-based digital signage to guide customers, biometric identification, and other technologies. This combination of features can even enable automatic payments. During the demonstration, samples and service tickets for popular brands sold at other stores will be available at the CO-URIBA locations, and customers who purchase cosmetics or receive beauty/relaxation treatments costing at least 4,000 yen (including tax) can choose two to three items.

To participate, customers must add the official TOKYU BEAUTY account as a friend on LINE. Adding the account enables user identities to be verified via their LINE account rather than through biometric authentication. Product lineups will vary from location to location.

When customers enter CO-URIBA, they scan a QR code displayed on their LINE account, which is linked to demographic information possessed by Tokyu Department Store. CO-URIBA's use of behavioral data enables information on brands of interest and individual recommendations to be sent directly to customers through LINE, strengthening the store's ability to communicate with customers.

Information such as recommended products and product locations are displayed in real-time on the signage on the top of CO-URIBA based on a questionnaire answered upon entering the store and on individual behavior, such as reaching for or taking samples of products. This combination of technologies assists customers in selecting samples and service tickets, providing a highly satisfactory customer experience even in unattended stores.

Another feature of CO-URIBA is its use of highly precise sensors installed on shelves and ceilings to collect detailed behavioral data that could not be obtained previously, such as what was picked up, what was returned to the shelf, what was finally selected, and how long it took to make a selection.

Combined with customer attribute information and survey results, this combined analysis will hopefully lead to new and more sophisticated marketing for Tokyu Department Stores and cosmetics and beauty manufacturers.