People’s Insights Volume 1, Issue 50: Walmart & Mattel's Virtual Toy Store
Transcript of People’s Insights Volume 1, Issue 50: Walmart & Mattel's Virtual Toy Store
People’s Insights: Volume 1, Issue 50
Walmart & Mattel’s Virtual Toy Store
crowdsourcing | storytelling | citizenship | social data
Andrew Livingstone /Toronto Star
What is the Virtual Toy Store?
brandchannel.com
In November, Walmart and Mattel lined two walls of an underground
walkway in downtown Toronto with images of toys and invited passers-
by to purchase them on-the-go using their smart phones.
How does it work?
mobilecommercedaily.com
To make a purchase, people scanned the toy’s QR code with their smart
phone and were re-directed to Walmart’s website where they could
enter payment details and avail of free home shipping.
Located where the people are
marketingmag.ca
Located along a retail concourse and commuter hub, the virtual store
enabled Walmart to reach a large audience of urban Canadians who
might not otherwise shop at Walmart.
A convenient way to shop
1) extremetech.com, 2) Mommy blogger Carrie Anne at everythingmom.com
Moms and bloggers responded favorably to the concept of a virtual toy
store, highlighting that it helps them skip lines, avoid lugging around
shopping bags, and immediately recognize the hottest toys, on the go.
“Perfect for Christmas”
chrisreed.brandrepublic.com
Marketers too responded well to the program, noting that it eliminates
retail costs, including rent, maintenance and staff salaries, is easy to
scale and helps reach crowds during the shopping season.
Tailored to the new age consumer
moneyville.ca
The virtual toy store caters to time-crunched consumers, who own smart
phones, are comfortable with online shopping and open to the idea of
purchasing products through their mobile phones.
Technology opens new possibilities
1) Photo: Andrew Livingstone /Toronto Star via moneyville.ca
2) ft.com
Marketers believe the interactivity and appeal of virtual stores can be
enhanced through technology, by targeting ads better, changing
products based on data, and making QR codes more attractive.
A new way to shop, and engage
extremetech.com
2012 has seen a rise in similar virtual stores across the globe, and
marketers speculate that this hybrid of real life meets digital life will
shape the way people shop and the way brands engage with people.
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