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What is "digital flair"?

The sentence I need to understand in context:

Uniqlo sister GU gives in-store experience digital flair,

The bargain brand of Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing, is bringing some of the more convenient aspects of online shopping into its real-world stores. Starting this September, customers venturing into a new store in Yokohama, Japan, will find carts equipped with tablets. Toss in an item, and the tablet will present a range of outfit options, along with the availability of different sizes and colors. (Source)

I looked up "flair" in the dictionaries and it all say something like "a natural ability". So does thesaurus. I notice the dictionary presents the second meaning, which possibly exactly mean the "flair" in question, but I don't know what it's talking about. So, my question is "can you paraphrase "digital flair" in the sentence above-mentioned?

Thank you.

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  • Can you tell us the source and the context of this. Is "ABC" in the original or is that a place holder. If possible please use the original words instead of ABC or XYZ.
    – James K
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 7:01
  • Thank you for joining. Here you are: Uniqlo sister GU gives in-store experience digital flair TOKYO -- GU, the bargain brand of Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing, is bringing some of the more convenient aspects of online shopping into its real-world stores. Starting this September, customers venturing into a new store in Yokohama, Japan, will find carts equipped with tablets. Toss in an item, and the tablet will present a range of outfit options, along with the availability of different sizes and colors. ...(still continues but too long to post all)
    – nat 123
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 7:06
  • Thanks. I've edited the full quote into the question. And by searching I was able to find a source for the quote. I've linked to the source. It is always good to link to the full source. The context shows that Jack's (and my) guesses were right.
    – James K
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 7:23
  • 1
    It's kind of you to do that. I'm reading what you guys write.
    – nat 123
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 7:55

2 Answers 2

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Since there is no context or surrounding text, this is only a guess.
There is another meaning of flair:

American Heritage Dictionary flair
3. Distinctive elegance or style: served us with flair.

Merriam-Webster flair
2 a uniquely attractive quality : style

Since "digital" here is contrasted with "in-store", they are probably claiming that their in-store purchase experience has some positive quality usually associated with on-line purchases.

This seems backwards, but they are advertising, so anything goes.

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  • 2
    "they are advertising, so anything goes" +1
    – JavaLatte
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 7:32
  • Thank you for answering, Jack, so it's like you buy in store(building), you get advantage(convenient aspect-they say) when shopping online.
    – nat 123
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 8:03
  • Why do you think it's backwards? Online stores have features like customer reviews, products like this, other products purchased with this, etc. They're touting that the tablets provide similar services when you're shopping at the store.
    – Barmar
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 14:47
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    @Barmar To me, shopping on a computer is efficient, but doesn't have much of what I would call "flair". But, YMMV.
    – Jack O'Flaherty
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 14:49
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    The advertising seems targeted to young people. If they've been shopping online all their lives they might think of brick-and-mortar as old fashioned and lacking in digital flair.
    – Barmar
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 14:56
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The sense of flair that is intended here is "stylishness and originality." (Oxford dictionaries). Digital flair is stylishness in a website or app design.

The meaning is apparently about some app or similar that makes shopping in person more like shopping online.

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  • Is "attractiveness" interchangeable with "stylishness" here? Then, I can barely understand. From the nuance of my first language, it seems to me that "stylishness" is a word for fashion or description of a new product of something like car, gadget, etc. It seems to me that something like "benefits" or "advantages" fits better than "stylishness".
    – nat 123
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 8:33
  • Yes "attractiveness" or "distinctive and original style" It is less to do with "fashion" and more to do with being unique.
    – James K
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 9:22
  • Thank you, James. Your answers are very helpful.
    – nat 123
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 10:05
  • @nat123: Yes and not. An unattractive person might have a great sense of style, but that doesn't necessarily make them attractive. However, it is commonly considered that stylishness can, to some degree, overcome being unattractive, but that is not a universal fact. However, stylishness is definitely applicable for gadgets or anything else that is a cultural hot topic. Fashion is the prime example, but not the only thing that is "in fashion", so to speak.
    – Flater
    Commented May 3, 2021 at 15:32
  • It may not be perfect, but now I think I've gotten a better understanding for the word. Thank you, Flater.
    – nat 123
    Commented May 4, 2021 at 15:24

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