Fast Retailing’s GU, the discount casualwear brand, has introduced an online shopping experience at a new on-ground store in Yokohama.

When customers toss an item into their shopping cart, an attached tablet will present them with a range of outfit, size and colour options. Comments from other customers can be viewed in the tablet, which will direct shoppers to GU’s e-store for out-of-stock items. Online orders will be delivered free.

While standing before a mirror with a GU garment, a customer can also view style suggestions and customer comments. The Japanese company will analyse consumer preference by digitally tracking the items.

It is part of GU’s effort to raise the share of online sales from about 5 per cent to at least 30 per cent, says chief executive Osamu Yunoki.

With 360 stores in Japan and 14 overseas – four in Mainland China, two in Hong Kong and eight in Taiwan – GU wants to reverse a steep fall in sales growth, reports Fibre2Fashion.com.