Dive Brief:

• GU, one of Fast Retailing’s retail brands, has piloted a program it calls GU Fitting, which allows shoppers to walk out of the store with clothes they’ve tried on and go about their day to help them decide whether to buy.

• The Uniqlo sibling brand allows up to 30 people each day to leave with up to three items, with no payment or security required, not even a credit card number.

• The company says it wants to provide the ultimate in customer service. No word if the program was successful or has continued past its June 30 trial end date.

Dive Insight:

It’s difficult to imagine this startling service, which was tried at Fast Retailing’s women’s clothing retailer GU’s store in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, ever flying in the States. GU Fitting doesn’t even require a credit card to ensure the customer's purchase or return.

But with some security to back it up, it could work. If GU found success with this program, it could become an innovation in fitting and customer service for brick-and-mortar stores. This is something to watch.​