6thStreet.com opens first phygital store in Dubai

Redefining retail in the region, the store blends a physical format with digital shopping conveniences to deliver an immersive customer experience

The GCC’s leading fashion e-commerce destination, 6thStreet.com recently opened the GCC region’s first-ever phygital store dedicated to fashion; an innovative tech-led space where online shopping converges with a physical store. Located in Dubai Hills Mall, the 6thStreet.com store is the future of retail, offering customers an integrated omnichannel experience with the benefits of both online and in-store shopping. It is owned by Apparel Group, the Dubai-headquartered global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate.

Speaking at the launch of the store, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, digital economy and teleworking applications, said: “6thStreet.com’s first physical store is a testament to the UAE’s leadership in future technologies and a reflection of the country’s status as a global shopping and tourism hub. Packed with pathbreaking artificial intelligence applications, it’s part of a new generation of smart retail brands boosting traditional industries and simultaneously strengthening the nation’s digital economy.”

Dharmin Ved, founder and CEO, 6thStreet.com, said: “After a year-long learning journey, our smarter retail concept is ready to welcome shoppers. We have invested in digital transformation not only to drive top-line growth, but also to streamline efficiencies across the value chain. The 6thStreet.com store offers tangible proof of how AI and machine learning can be leveraged to create an exciting new store format as well as to create new opportunities for the retail sector, delivering speed, cost and sustainability benefits. The nurturing ecosystem created by the UAE government allows ambition and innovation to thrive, so it is only fitting that we launched our first phygital store in Dubai.”

Customers at the 6thStreet.com store can use tablets to browse, pick and add items, just like they would while shopping online on the app. They can be trialed at the station or in an assigned fitting room, where an interactive screen allows customers to exchange sizes, request assistance and select purchases. Customers can touch and feel products, and enjoy the social aspect of shopping, without facing the challenges of long shipping times, limited inventories in store or waiting in check-out lines.

Located on the ground floor of Dubai Hills Mall, the 7535-sq. ft store is fitted with 38 tablets and seven fitting rooms. Customers are assisted through the unique shopping experience by ten fashion advisors on the floor. The phygital store holds seven times the inventory of a regular store, with almost every brand the 6thStreet.com app has available in the UAE such as Birkenstock, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Crocs, Levi’s, Skechers, Adidas, Nike, Dune London, Aldo, Toms and more.

“6thStreet.com will continue to push boundaries when it comes to delivering never-before experiences for our customers. We foresee the phygital store as one that will be embraced by the UAE’s tech-savvy residents,” Ved concluded.