Tesco is embracing technology to let consumers avoid the ultimate Christmas hell by swerving the crowds and doing their festive shopping without even entering the store.
Tesco Metro on Regent Street is the first store to be transformed into a bespoke, high-street Christmas window display which is supported by QR and augmented reality (AR) technology. Customers can now preview and buy products from outside.
The technology, which will also be available at 11 other stores, mirrors the scheme at Gatwick Airport which lets shoppers scan in codes and arrange delivery up to three weeks in advance.
A 6-ft biscuit house is centre stage at the Regent Street store, which is framed in an Scandinavian-style snow setting.
All product and decorations displayed in the bespoke Regent Street Metro window display are available online at Tesco.com. Customers can click to buy, then collect from that Metro store.
Products featured will include Christmas gift ideas such as children’s bikes, best-selling toys and Tesco’s new home ware range. Once the code is scanned, the product comes to life on the customer’s smartphone, and they can arrange to Click & Collect from the same store the following day.
The technology was first used in Seoul, South Korea, last year, which allowed commuters to shop in subways and at bus stops by pointing their mobile phones at billboards.
The Gatwick shop was launched in the summer, to help holidaymakers shop for their return using their smartphones.
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Tesco uses AR and QR codes technologies to get customers to buy without stepping into a store: http://t.co/DJjgr25M9L #augmentedreality