Meet Shop You: A personalised stylist in your pocket

Finding clothes that fit and look good; it sounds simple enough, but for many shoppers, it’s actually a tall order. In fact, only 2 in 10 women actually enjoy shopping.

The reality is that while technology has evolved dramatically, most fashion retailers are providing the same type of shopping experience they have for hundreds of years.

That’s the problem Kelly Slessor, CEO of Shop You, wants to solve. Shop You is a mobile shopping app that matches you with brands that suit your size, style, and preferences. It improves the shopping experience by using artificial intelligence to make personalised recommendations.

We sat down with Kelly to learn more about the app and find out what’s next for the business:

How did you get started? Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?

“I actually don't even think of myself as an entrepreneur now! I’ve worked in retail and technology for over 20 years, so really, I see myself as someone who is simply passionate about retail and about using new technology to help customers save time and stress.

“I’ve seen firsthand how little the retail sector has evolved – retailers are still providing the same experiences that we offered 1,000 years ago. I wanted to do things differently. I love using technology to help people look and feel great!”

The retail sector has been particularly hard hit in recent years. Do you see this more as a challenge or opportunity for Shop You?

“The sector’s challenges are our opportunities. The average conversion rate for most online retailers is less than 2%. By comparison, rates in-store average 20% or more. So clearly, online shopping is too difficult and retailers need new solutions to remain competitive, especially as more and more interactions more online.

“I think it’s important to understand that while the retail market is tough, it’s not going anywhere. Retail represents 31% of the global GDP. Technology is driving a massive shift in the industry. I sometimes feel like a broken record but I keep saying ‘Retail will change more in the next 10 years, than it has in the last 1,000’ and I believe that to be true.”

What is the most rewarding part of being the CEO of Shop You?

“I love when someone walks up to me and says, ‘I bought this on Shop You and it was so easy to buy’ or ‘I love it and I have had so many compliments in it!’, it’s really rewarding knowing we made an impact on those customers.”

‍Last year, you ran a pilot with LendLease. How did that go and what’s next for the business?

‍“It was a five-week pilot that combined Shop You with a human personal stylist and a CBD Lendlease location, allowing customers to shop multiple brands via one platform, and try on, collect and return products from one convenient spot."

This pilot showed the powering of integrating Shop You into the retail experience. Average basket sizes were three times higher than the industry average and conversion rates were nine times higher.

Since then, we’ve signed another deal with Lendlease to roll out a 12-month pilot which combines AI with a human stylist, a runner and place to try on all within your workplace. Its due to go live in April 2020 and completely reimagines the way we shop.”

‍Shop You is available on iOS