Tesco Trials Virtual Shopping

The test is being conducted at Gatwick Airport.

August 08, 2012

LONDON - Travelers returning home can now order groceries in the terminal at Gatwick Airport via Tesco??s new virtual supermarket, BBC News reports. The four interactive screens showcase 80 products shoppers scan with their smartphone for at-home delivery.

Tesco is the latest retailer dabbling in mobile commerce. Interactive Media in Retail Group predicts that m-commerce will grab about 15% of all online sales by the end of 2012.

Tesco??s trial run is taking place in Gatwick??s North Terminal. "We don't think it's a gimmick--it's a taste of the future," said Mandy Minichiello, marketing manager for Tesco.com. "In 2016, about 90% of all mobiles will be smartphones. We're doing this as a trial to try to get some customer feedback. We're keen to make customers lives as easy as possible. Increasingly, they want to shop on the go."

The virtual grocery store has its roots in South Korea, where the company ran billboards at subways and bus stops featuring products consumers could order by pointing their mobile devices at the ads. Tesco also pioneered Internet retailing, and currently ahs more than 1 million online shoppers.

"It's significant they're doing this [virtual grocery store] before other mainstream retailers have got in on the act," said Neil Saunders, managing director with retail consultancy Conlumino. "It shows that Tesco are determined to make a success in the mobile retail environment and the potential for growth."

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