Argos, a major general goods retailer in the UK and Ireland, has joined the growing number of retailers launching QR coded pop-up stores. Pop-up stores are becoming a popular trend in the retail world, as they can be set up just about anywhere. The stores utilize QR codes as a way to sell products to consumers with smart phones. While the codes are still somewhat exotic to consumers in the UK, the idea of pop-up stores has been gaining momentum in the country due to the high level of smart phone ownership.
While Argos claims to be the first to launch a pop-up store, the retailer is just the latest addition to the scene. Retail giant Tesco launched a large pop-up store in South Korea, which was met with varying levels of favor. The stores have become more popular in Germany recently. Though Argos’ coded stores are not unique, there are relatively few such establishments in the UK, which puts the retailer in a good position to engage consumers.
The pop-up store features several items that are sold through the use of QR codes. When scanned, the codes direct smart phone users to a mobile e-commerce website where they can finalize purchases. Purchased items are usually delivered to a consumer’s residence within a couple days.
Whether the pop-up store trend will continue is difficult to tell, but consumers have begun to grow fond of QR codes and the convenience of these stores may solidify the code’s place in society.
