Remember when we observed a grocery-buying concept in Korea where busy commuters could buy their groceries in the subway stations by pointing their phones at illustrations of veggies and meat? With a snap of their phones, they could have the week's worth of groceries purchased and waiting at their door when they got home. Well, this new concept has now hit New York and just may be of great service for those who can't find time to buy beauty products - (guilty).
Glamour is calling their virtual beauty apothecary a "shoppable wall" which is set up near the Standard Hotel in Manhattan. The wall is equipped with virtual images from brands like Elizabeth Arden, Versace and John Frieda. The images are equipped with 2D barcodes which users can use an app on their smartphone to scan and purchase.
Just like the groceries in Korea, these products are later delivered to the buyer's home. What do you guys think of the increasing number of buying experiences turning virtual? Would you start purchasing virtual items on the go from this a hybrid of online and physical shopping?
(Images: 1. AdAge)
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I can see this happening with some products, but I would think there would be a premium for the deliveries? It could get very expensive.
However, I cannot imagine this happening with most grocery products. I would think the quality of your food items could suffer from what is available.
When my car died, I decided to try living without one (an experiment still in progress), and I've ordered most of my groceries - pet supplies - cosmetics online and had them delivered to my home ($4.95 if I agree to a 4-hour delivery window, +$2 if I want it within a 2-hour delivery window, +$3 if I want it at the time I specify). I don't mind saying, I now far prefer this approach, because when I do go out shopping it's pleasurable rather than laborious. No pushing and noone trying to lift my wallet (that's happened twice and in the most unexpected upscale grocery stores).
What I don't understand though is why shopping walls are a necessary component. Why wouldn't I just be able to scan the last product bottle I have at home with my smartphone and have it added to my grocery list, hit Buy, and have the items ordered immediately from my usual sources? Why a wall in a commuting spot? Where the more people who use it cause a backup bigger than at the grocery store because you're all trying to get it done, in a small wall area, under the time pressure of your commute?
Hmmm, interesting to think where this could lead to. Clothing i would prefer to handle before buying, size up the quality and all. Groceries i'd have no problems having pre-packaged products shipped to me, but baked goods, produce and meat i'd rather like to handle and inspect. With that in mind, its entirely possible to see supermarkets fade away, or radically change, as packaged goods become primarily delivered, leaving only a few specialty departments or stores (the return of the butcher shop perhaps?) dealing with customers in person.
I LIKE grocery shopping. The idea of ordering in my goods sounds terrible to me, unless I'm sick in bed. I want to go see whats on sale, check the clearance (even in the grocery store), smell my fruit before picking out what to by, looking for a tight head of broccoli, etc. Having someone else do those things for me seems silly. Even if I am strapped for time, it's like, whats next? If we have someone else clean out home and someone else do our shopping and someone else watch our kids what does that say about us? Unless you're elderly or disabled or don't have a car at all I can see why this would be a blessing. But for average people...what the what? What is so important in your life that we need other people to do all these things for us? I'm not trying to be harsh, like I said sometimes these services can be a huge help. But using them on a regular basis would make me pause and evaluate my life. Is what I'm doing instead really that important? I guess I just wouldn't be okay with a "career" that mistakes itself for being my "life".
*buy
They have a similar but simpler thing in the Hoboken train station aimed at commuters waiting for trains. It's just a big banner with a bunch of pictures of small electronics and their accompanying QR codes. I think it's for Staples or BestBuy?
In the video, they mention that it is going to be implemented in magazines so that if you see an article or advertisement for something that appeals to you, you can purchase it. I think that is very interesting and much more useful then for groceries, especially since Fresh Direct already has an iphone app...