RFID, LCD and networking technologies combine to enhance shopping experience, and provide a new advertising channel.

NEC and supply chain standards group GS1 today launched a new technology, called the EPCmagic Mirror, that can display key product information such as available sizes, colours and prices to shoppers as they try on clothes in a store.

Using GS1 standardised Electronic Product Code (EPC) and RFID technology, shoppers can see what sizes and colours are available within a store, pricing information, and tips on which accessories would best match what they have chosen to try on – all while they stand in front of the “magic” mirror inside a change room.

The mirror features an integrated RFID reader that picks up information from EPC/RIFD tags on clothing in the store, sends the ID number to the store’s central database, and then uses that information to display product information the store wants its customers to see.

According to a statement released by NEC, the EPCmagic mirror was developed over six months, incorporating the company’s RFID, digital signage, LCD and broadband network technologies.

The mirror can also be used to screen advertisements and sale information. NEC said it will provide ongoing managed services to complement the product and can offer tailored specifications.