From social retailing to walking economy

If your girlfriend/wife has expensive tastes and you’re a skimper, there’s no way out now.

A New York technology company called IconNicholson has developed a "magic mirror" that enables customers to view themselves in a series of outfits - without ever having to remove their garments. What's more, shoppers who try on actual outfits can stand at the mirror and invite their friends to review the look via the Web. Those friends then can comment by sending text messages that pop up on the mirror's surface.

While such social retailing may bring together the entire universe of networking concepts through the use of the Internet, the webcam and the webcast to enable shoppers to interact with their family and friends, you can’t skimp around buying cheap stuff by hiding behind “I thought you would like it”. Your girlfriend could also dig out the most expensive outfit from the designer's collection and e-mail a thumbnail sketch to you while you’re trying on the clothes. That image also could be digitally superimposed over your reflection in the magic mirror for her review.

Tech giant Cisco Systems has developed a system to allow shoppers to electronically check the store's inventory for the correct size garment. They can then talk by phone to a salesperson, who will bring the item directly to their changing room stall. That way, shoppers don't have to go through the hassle of getting dressed and trekking back to the display rack. In other words, buy you must.

With that hair line in recession, stomach a victim of inflation and both of these together giving a deep depression….feel like a walking economy already?