Inditex has chosen Barcelona to begin the transformation of its Lefties brand chain of stores and turn it into the first of the textile group to implement technological advances such as the Easy Pay purchasing process. This innovative payment system uses RFID tag reading to instantly scan items that customers want to purchase, as it eliminates the classic plastic alarms currently incorporated into garments and accessories.
The improvements have been incorporated into Lefties Digital Store, the store that will open tomorrow in the Diagonal Mar shopping center, and which will be the starting point for extending the model of the store of the future to the main Spanish capitals before the end of the year. At the close of the first quarter of 2022, the brand had 84 establishments, of which 14 stores are in Catalonia.
The brand also operates in nine other markets ---Portugal, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Andorra and Israel---, with a global network of more than 160 establishments.
Inditex is committed, through its low-cost clothing brand, to the latest technological innovations to offer consumers a fully digitized shopping experience, with the idea of reinforcing omnichannel and online shopping, since an area of the store will be dedicated to fully automated pick-up and return points for items purchased online. The Inditex group expects online sales to exceed 30% of total sales in 2024 for all its brands: Zara and ZaraHome, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius and Oysho, in addition to Lefties.
In addition, shoppers will find smart fitting rooms, which automatically manage access and garment returns using autonomous belts, avoiding the inconvenience of waiting and queuing to enter; and a personalization service so they can create their unique pieces (embroidery, patches, inscriptions).
The distribution of the interior space is designed so that shoppers can easily find products, through fixed thematic areas, with the corresponding fashion and accessory collections.
The new Lefties store also has other services: a cafeteria, a water fountain for pets, and Arcade machines for video game lovers.
The opening of this 1,900 square meter store distributed on a single floor, with a staff of 80 people, will be completed tomorrow with the celebration of the #leftiesweekendfestival, with performances by the tiktokers duo Twin Melody, Pol Granch, Marc Seguí, Paula Cendejas and the American urban music star, Mariah Angeliq, among other artists.
The Inditex group closed the first quarter of the current fiscal year (between February 1 and April 30) with sales of 6,742 million euros, 36% more than in the same period of the previous year and 13.8% above the first quarter of 2019. It registered a net profit of 760 million, with an 80% increase compared to a year earlier.