eBay's holiday pop up store

A week before Black Friday, eBay launched a pop up store in one of the busiest, trendiest shopping locations in the world: 57th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The store was open for nine days. It sold no merchandise. It was created solely as a reminder that people don’t have to wait in line and battle crowds to get their holiday shopping done. They can shop more cheaply and easily with eBay online.

Inside the 57th Street location

Inside the 5,500 square foot store, trend experts and personal shoppers taught visitors how to navigate eBay’s website. Displays showcased the kinds of items customers could buy, such as laptops, designer shoes, and vintage Ray Ban sunglasses.

By occupying a three-dimensional space, eBay allowed customers to interact with and experience its brand. The pop up location allowed them to do this without the cost or commitment of a permanent store.

When you walk into Clo wine bar in Manhattan, the first thing you notice isn’t the way technology maximizes a small space. The first thing you notice is the center table.

Interactive tabletop

The long table appears to be composed of multiple touch screens that allow customers to scroll through the bar’s wine list. What kind of technology is inside the table? There isn’t any. It’s a regular white coriander countertop. The technology is embedded in the ceiling above.

Three ceiling-mounted projectors turn the tabletop into a showcase of digital wine bottles. An infrared sensor (also in the ceiling) tracks customers’ hand movements, enabling them to scroll through the different choices. When a bottle is selected, its image is enlarged and information about that particular wine — such as the cost, year it was made, where it was produced, and tasting notes scribed by Clo’s sommeliers —  is displayed on the table.

According to Hunter Tura, managing director of 2×4, Inc., the design firm that designed Clo, the interactive tabletop was “a way to . . . advance the self-guided nature of exploring the wine selections.” (The architect of record was Gensler and the technology was developed in association with Potion). The self-guided nature Tura mentions is also demonstrated by the way Clo serves wine.

"Enomatic" wine dispenser

When customers enter the bar, they run their credit card with a sommelier and receive a branded Clo card. The Clo card keeps track of which wines they’ve tried and how much they’ve spent. Customers swipe the card at one of the self-serve “Enomatic” wine dispensers and make a selection (think high-brow vending machines). The dispensers, which line the walls of the space, then fill their glasses with tasting pours.  

By integrating technology with design, Clo adds new functionality to conventional fixtures. The table becomes interactive and educational. The walls become self-serve displays. The result is efficient service and a memorable experience.

(Thanks, Brian Smith)