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Some retail stores now have cameras in their dressing rooms so you can more easily check the fit of your jeans from the rear. These "booty cams" ostensibly aim to reduce returns—better fits equal happier customers—but in the age of viral videos that can make instant stars out of the unsuspecting, you may want to ask if that camera feed is secure before turning your back on this latest retailing innovation.
Stores now using booty cameras include Industrie Denim and American Rag, which sell high-end blue jeans.
These dressing room cameras are just one example of how brick-and-mortar stores keep a closer and closer eye on your every move. We detail several more ways that retailers are taking snooping to the next level in "How Stores Spy on You."
Another new device similar to booty cams is the Bodymetrics scanner, currently in use only at the Bloomingdale's at Stanford Mall in Palo Alto, Calif. The scanner actually goes beyond simple data collection and takes 100 measurements of your body to create a 3D model to prescribe the most flattering fit from among premium-priced jeans such as AG, J Brand, Hudson, and 7 For All Mankind. Your personal body map is accessible to you via any Internet device. Bodymetrics expects to deploy more units later this year.
This article originally appeared in Consumer Reports' ShopSmart magazine.
—Maggie Shader
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