Meet SCROBLE, a startup that has decided to digitize the bricks-and-mortar shopping experience. Anna Salewski, the founder and CEO of SCROBLE tells all in this quick interview.
by: Silicon Luxembourg
photo: Anna Damini / SCROBLE
featured: Anna Salewski
Tell us about your startup.
We are hoping to start a retail revolution that will reinvent the bricks-and-mortar store experience. The idea behind SCROBLE is the complete digitalization of today’s shopping experience. We are turning the store into a sweet spot of interaction between users and products – all with the help of smartphones.
How did you come up with the idea?
My initial plan was to create a tool that would eliminate obstacles between online and offline retail experiences.
The concept of SCROBLE arrived at an incredibly busy time in my life; I had almost no time for shopping. I started looking at possibilities to speed up the process, while also making it more effective and enjoyable. After talking to friends, I began to realize that I was not the only one with high hopes. A new fashion-shopping concept seemed like the ideal solution for our needs. During that time, I was also writing my Master thesis on e-service and taxation.
The need for smart offline shopping was a common one, if not a global one. I spent a great deal of time exploring solutions and technologies already out there. I discovered that retail and in particular the fashion industry are facing fundamental challenges globally, all related to the inability to connect seamlessly online and offline shopping environments.
My network encouraged me to patent my very first invention and bring SCROBLE to the market. Meanwhile, SCROBLE applied for a patent in line with those of world’s technology giants, but with a higher level of functionality.
“Brands can connect all their retailers and sale points to our online database.”
What are your products/services?
We enable fashion brands to be part of an open system that creates an Omni channel experience for users. SCROBLE acts as an independent data synchronization tool and content creator between users and fashion brands. SCROBLE’s multimodal system enables users to interact with items digitally. They are encouraged to pair clothes and come up with looks within a virtual wardrobe and wish list. Our technology, also, creates unlimited points-of-sale for brands and delivers unique data to help the fashion industry better understand its consumers. Brands can use this data to improve marketing, avoid unsold stock and increase overall profitability and sustainability.
What is your business model?
SCROBLE’s business introduces a new way of converting data between users and fashion brands. Our data synchronization technology and new retail options are designed to help fashion brands: brands can connect all their retailers and sale points to our online database.
“As part of the DeFine network, we are thankful to be guided by leading academics and innovation hubs.”
Who are your clients?
All online and offline retailers should be able to directly connect with shoppers and participate in the sales process. SCROBLE makes shopping a smarter experience by enabling shoppers to use the platform online and offline, all free of charge.
What’s next?
Our prototypes are rapidly gaining interest and we are launching demo environment tests as we speak. The next step will be to test our data plug-in technology with our partners within a real-time shopping environment.
As part of the DeFINE Network, funded by the European Commission to support #fashiontech in Europe, we are thankful to be guided by leading academics and innovation hubs. With their guidance, we look forward to achieving our next set of milestones.
