Tesco: QR Code Activated Virtual Stores

Here is a great way to integrate an online shopping experience into people’s offline world. Tesco, in the Korean market, wanted to become the No. 1 retailer without increasing the number of their stores. Knowing that the Koreans are the 2nd most hard-working country in the world and where grocery shopping once a week is a dreaded task. Tesco decided to bring life-like shopping to subway stations to make it more convenient for people to shop.

The virtual stores blend a mobile based shopping experience into people’s everyday lives. The virtual store displays looked exactly the same as actual stores. Only one thing was different, you use smart phones to shop. Users simply scanned a QR code with their phone, and the product automatically lands in their online shopping cart. When the online purchase is complete the products will be delivered to the customer’s door the same day.

Following this campaign, online sales increased dramatically (Nov 2010 to Jan 2011). Through this campaign, 10,287 consumers visited the online Tesco (Homeplus) mall using smartphones. The number of new registered members rose by 76%, and on-line sales increased 130%. Currently, Homeplus has become No.1 in online market and is a very close 2nd offline.

This campaign was the work of Cheil in Seoul, Korea.

Courtesy: digitalbuzzblog.com