Nike opens a weather simulator to test its clothing
What: It is now possible to experience in real conditions the quality of garments designed to support the extreme.
Why it is important: Stores are becoming showrooms where experience is key. Department stores should either team up with the right brands or develop their own approach so that they remain relevant for experience-hungry customers.
Nike has opened a popup space in its own House of Innovation in Champs Elysées that opened in 2020 (see our review here) where customers can book a time slot to try in real conditions its range of products adapted to extreme weather.
In the simulator, customers are able to try 3 jackets in specific visual, sound and temperature conditions, and get information about the products they are trying thanks to an AR set up to which they can access while in the queue waiting for their turn. Their experience in the simulator is then recorded and sent to customers as a souvenir of the experience.
This is not the first time that brands tap on the experience to show the quality of their products: Canada Goose and Arc'teryx do the same on a permanent basis in their stores (respectively Toronto and Shanghai).