IM QUITE IMPRESSED WITH TESCOS LATEST INNOVATION.
Largest food chain in the UK, Tesco also operates 280 stores in South Korea where it holds a solid #2 position.
But in a country where mobile is king and smartphones ubiquitous, the retail champion of convenience needed a breakthrough to dominate in e- and m-distribution.
The shopper insight they leveraged is universal, but particularly acute in hectic Korea – shopping is a drag, takes too much time in crowded stores, and its a pain to haul back groceries through an over-populated public transportation system.
Their idea – set up a virtual shop in Seouls subway stations, with life-size replicas of Tescos most popular aisles, powered by QR code e-shopping. Point and scan your chosen products with a smartphone while you wait for the next train, pay with a click, and your virtual shopping cart will be waiting at you door by the time you get back home.