Virtual shopping at some SMRT train stations from Dec 7
By Tony Ng
[Above: Tesco's virtual shopping wall in a subway platform in South Korea has proved to be popular.]
From Wednesday, commuters at two MRT stations can do some virtual Christmas shopping while waiting for their trains to arrive.
Train operator SMRT will be rolling out its first QR code shopping wall in Bugis and Boon Lay MRT stations.
All that is required is a QR code reader, which is installed in most phones, or widely available for free in the latest mobile platforms.
At the moment, supermarket chain Cold Storage is the first to have outdoor advertisements carrying QR code for instant sales.
Commuters will be able to choose from the 20 Christmas food items on the QR code shopping wall. They can also choose to have the orders delivered to them.
SMRT said it will be looking to increase the range of products for commuters to purchase on the go.
Ms Dawn Low, managing director, SMRT Commercial Business, said: "This new initiative is intuitive to the digital lifestyle of today’s consumers and part of our continuous efforts to enhance the commuting experience with SMRT.
"We are integrating mobile technology into our network to offer greater convenience, speed and choices to our commuters, allowing them to slip in a bit of shopping without having to step into a shop."
More than just advertisements, these QR code shopping walls are virtual shops on their own, allowing commuters to shop on the move.
Potentially, commuters can order the latest tech gizmo or do a bit of grocery shopping while standing at the station platform.
This form of virtual shopping is already present in South Korea, according to online reports.
Tech website Popsci reported that European grocery giant came up with a similar idea by implementing QR code shopping walls in South Korea subways.
According to the report, Tesco displayed visual recreations of grocery aisles on the walls of a subway station. Each item has a QR code on it. Along with a smartphone app, customers can then check out their shopping items via their smartphones.
The groceries will then be delivered to their homes on that evening at a specific time, Popsci reported.
