Australian retailers take a liking to QR-powered window shopping

Sportsgirl QR Code Virtual Storefront

Sportsgirl QR Code Virtual Storefront

Retailers in Australia have begun replacing the printed advertisements in store windows with large QR codes from the Active Display Group, a point-of-sale supplier. The group has been praised for its use of the codes in the country and is partly responsible for introducing the concept of “window shopping” to consumers. This concept is simple enough: Consumers with smart phones can purchase products simply by scanning a mobile barcode associated with a particular item. Retailers such as Sportsgirl, a company specializing in athletic gear for women, are making use of this technique to appeal to mobile consumers.

The large displays now occupying the windows of Sportsgirl stores in Australia are linked to the same virtual store that can be found on the company’s website. Consumers are able to scan the QR codes accompanying each product and make purchases through that website. The site has been optimized for mobile viewing, allowing smart phone users the ability to easily navigate merchandise.

The Active Display Group believes that these kinds of displays could pave the way for a more convenient kind of commerce. British grocery chain Tesco has been using this same concept recently in South Korea and other Asian markets with some success. Other retailers are beginning to see the possible benefits of this practice and have begun experimenting with their own kind of window shops.

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