Rent the Runway Redefines the In-Store Digital Experience with Aila Technologies

Showcases Partnership with Aila to Make In-Store Experiences Fast, Easy and Personalized at NRF 2018

NATICK, Mass.; NRF 2018 – Retail’s Big Show, Booth #360 – January 11, 2018 – Rent the Runway, the consumer fashion rental company powered by logistics and tech, today announced its use of iOS-based scanners and kiosks from Aila Technologies to enhance the customer experience and streamline operations at its retail store locations. Rent the Runway will showcase its in-store experience at NRF 2018 – Retail’s Big Show in the Aila booth, #360.

“Rent the Runway is revolutionizing retail by giving shoppers a smarter closet full of endless styles and infinite possibilities. Working with Aila has been absolutely instrumental as we continue to rethink how consumers’ closets should work,” said Hampton Catlin, senior director of engineering, Rent the Runway. “Aila gives our customers a fast and easy way to manage returns and exchanges at our retail store locations, and ensures our stylists and customer experience associates have more time to spend helping shoppers.”

Managing more than 450,000 pieces of designer fashion in the “closet in the cloud” is a massive logistical enterprise, collecting millions of data points about each user’s interaction with the brand. With Aila, Rent the Runway is able to tie all of that data into its digital in-store experience to make returns, exchanges and rentals seamlessly easy. Customers at the NYC Flagship store, as well as locations in Chicago, San Francisco, Topanga and Washington, DC, are able to walk in and walk out with the every day or black-tie style and fit that they want. The self-service Aila Interactive Kiosks with TrueScan™ technology allows customers to quickly pick up and drop off orders and easily exchange pieces on the spot.

“As we expand our endless closet into local locations across the country, it is critical that we deliver the same seamless, luxury experience that our customers expect—especially now that we have some customers accessing the store several times a week. Traditional scanning devices and systems were difficult and slow for our customers to use, plus they were all rather bulky and unappealing,” added Catlin. “Aila was the only solution that we found that could meet our needs—it lets our customers and associates quickly and efficiently scan the tiny labels on our products to ensure all of their interactions meet our brand standards. Aila’s scanning speed and accuracy are far beyond anything else we have seen.”

Aila’s innovative in-store solutions are used by leading retailers and grocers to streamline operations and provide engaging, high-value consumer interactions. Jason Gulbinas, CEO and co-founder of Aila Technologies, noted, “The digital era is reshaping retail, and leaders like Rent the Runway are making sure in-store experiences meet the needs of today’s consumers and store associates. The future of in-store retail depends on iOS-based technology. Our smarter, more engaging hardware solutions built on iOS devices unlock the potential of the physical store in the digital era. Aila ensures that customers get the same fast, easy, personalized experience in store that they have come to expect online.”

Visit NRF 2018 Booth #360 on Monday, January 15 to see Hampton Catlin demo how Rent the Runway is using Aila Technologies to better engage shoppers, streamline store operations and increase customer loyalty. Aila Technologies will also be demonstrating its latest product enhancements, and Pomeroy, Digimarc, and Teamwork Retail will be showcasing joint solutions in their booths at NRF. 

About Rent the Runway

Rent the Runway is a technology and logistics company transforming how women get dressed every day. The company provides access to a “closet in the cloud” powered by rental to its eight million members through two subscription plans and on-demand rentals. With options for work, weekends and special occasions and a focus on top-notch customer experience, Rent the Runway aims to make women feel confident and be the best versions of themselves. Founded in 2009 by Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Fleiss, Rent the Runway has raised over $190 million in venture capital and is growing rapidly. In 2015, Hyman and Fleiss launched the Rent the Runway Foundation to support female entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. in scaling their businesses.

About Aila Technologies

Aila makes smart iOS-based devices that outperform traditional enterprise hardware solutions throughout the store. Aila’s proprietary technology transforms Apple’s familiar mobile products—iPads, iPhones and iPods—into powerful enterprise-ready kiosks and mobile devices by combining industry-leading integrated scanning technology with sleek, store-ready design. Aila devices enable improvements to an array of core in-store operations, from price checking and custom ordering to point-of-sale transactions, allowing retailers to deploy streamlined workflows and more engaging customer experiences.