AS WatsonYesterday, in Kuala Lumpur’s new Central I-City shopping mall, the company cut the ribbon to its 15,000th store, coincidentally its 500th in Malaysia. The newest Watsons store represents the latest iteration of the health and beauty brand’s format, called G8, with an impressive array of technology and categories fitted into a 4200 sq ft site on the lower ground floor.
Highlights include a StyleMe augmented-reality station where customers can see the effect of cosmetics on their face using an interactive mirror. At another station, Watsons’ new Hi Mirror skin analysis technology allows a staff member to take skin impressions from different places on a customer’s face before it is assessed using AI technology, the software recommending treatments from the store’s range. The customers can have further scans after using the products for a few weeks and gauge the changes so they know whether to continue the treatment or move to a different solution.
Malina Ngai, AS Watson COO, says like every part of the G8 store concept, the Hi Mirror was introduced in response to customer feedback, when shoppers were asked what they would like to see introduced to stores. After testing and refinement, the Hi Mirror will be added to more stores across Watsons’ 7200-strong network in 13 Asian and European markets, starting with Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Turkey later this year.
