Which pillow finder fits which channel?
| Finder | Channel | What the customer does | What it asks of you |
|---|---|---|---|
| PillowScan™ mobile scan | E-commerce, apps, omnichannel retail | Scans shoulders, neck and head with a smartphone in about 30 seconds, no app required. The algorithm combines the scan with sleeping position and mattress firmness into a personal pillow code. | A scan step on your webshop and a size range that matches the pillow codes. |
| Online filling test | Online and mass retail | Answers four questions (height, weight, sleeping position, mattress firmness) and learns how much filling to remove from one adjustable pillow. | The lightest set-up: one adjustable pillow in stock. |
| Professional fitting | Specialty retail, sleep specialists | A trained person takes three body measurements and determines the size on the spot. | Trained staff, time in store and a stocked size range. Fitting tools, training and POS materials are included. |
What are the trade-offs?
No finder suits every channel, and we would rather say so up front.
The scan brings body data to a webshop, but the customer has to complete it. The filling test is the simplest to run, but it relies on what the customer reports rather than on a measurement. The professional fitting is the most personal, but it only works where you have staff and floor time, so it is not an option for a pure webshop.
The principle stays the same in all three: a standard pillow fits nobody exactly, so the customer never has to guess a height. Only the way the size is found differs. You can also combine finders, for example a scan on your webshop and a fitting in your stores.
How do we set this up for your brand?
You bring the brand and the channel. We bring the finder, the range and the factory.
The pillows are delivered as private label in your design, packaging and language, made in our own 4,000 m² facility in Zevenbergen. During development we integrate the measuring method or PillowScan™, and you review prototypes and samples before production. The minimum order quantity for private label is 2,500 pillows.
The measuring method goes back to 2013, when we developed Pillowise, the first pillow sized on three body measurements, together with a physiotherapist. Read more about our technology and how custom fit pillows work.
One restriction: healthcare shops and professionals, such as clinics and pharmacies, are supplied only with our Pillowise brand. See pillow fitting for that route.
So, which pillow finder should you choose?
If you sell online, start with the scan or the filling test. Choose the scan if you want a more personal result and the filling test if you want the lowest effort. If you run specialty stores with trained staff, choose professional fitting. If you have neither a webshop nor staff time to spare, a custom fit concept is probably not the right move yet. In that case we can supply an existing range as private label first.
Discuss your concept with us, or visit the factory by appointment.
Thijs van der Hilst, physiotherapist, co-founder of UCI