The Brief
Tokyo Digital's collaboration with Harrods, a renowned London landmark and a globally recognised department store, marked a significant advancement in the realm of digital customer experience. Since 2015, Tokyo Digital has been the principal digital partner for Harrods, working closely with their publishing team. Our involvement encompassed managing the multi-platform Harrods magazine, published monthly, and providing support for various brand partnership campaigns throughout the year.
In 2017, Tokyo Digital spearheaded the development of a groundbreaking indoor store guide app, a first-of-its-kind in the retail world. Utilising nearly 1,000 beacons installed throughout the store, the app revolutionised the shopping experience in Harrods' extensive five-acre floorspace. It enabled customers to effortlessly navigate the store, easily finding departments, brands, and points of interest.
The development of this wayfinding app presented unique technical challenges, especially in accurately determining the floor level of users within the dynamic architecture of the Harrods building. Previous attempts by other stores using GPS and similar technologies had failed. However, our team at Tokyo Digital, in collaboration with our partners, successfully overcame these hurdles. The resulting wayfinding tool set a new industry standard in terms of accuracy and user experience.
Harrods, located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, is a luxury department store boasting an expansive retail space of 1.1 million sq ft across 330 departments. Owned by Harrods Ltd, under the Qatar Investment Authority, it attracts around 15 million visitors annually. The store is famous for its diverse departments, including the Seasonal Christmas department, jewellery departments, and the Food Halls. Harrods' motto, "Omnia Omnibus Ubique" – Latin for "all things for all people, everywhere" – reflects its commitment to providing a vast range of products and services.
Tokyo Digital's involvement with Harrods, a store with a rich history including being a founder member of the International Association of Department Stores, highlights our expertise in enhancing the retail experience through innovative digital solutions. Our partnership with Harrods is a testament to our ability to merge technology with customer service, creating unique and efficient solutions for one of the world's most famous department stores.