UK-based Retailer Tesco, has embarked on a new way of Selling their goods. Albeit not in UK, but South Korea.
Earlier, Tesco did all to show Koreans that it is a local operation, including changing it’s name to Homeplus. Homeplus was already the Second largest retailer in the country. However, Homeplus targeted to be no. 1 in the South-Korea market without adding any more physical stores.
To achieve the above objectives, Homeplus launched Virtual Grocery stores in Underground Metro stations in Seoul, Korea. The Homeplus Virtual stores in the underground Metro stations consist of product-less grocery shelves and food cases, which are designed to look just like the inside of a Real Homeplus store.

Commuters walk up to the virtual store in Metro stations and then scan the product QR code of the items they want to buy using their replicacopys Smart phone. Once the product QR code is scanned, the item goes into the Commuter’s (Now, Shopper?) Grocery cart. Once a shopper finishes his purchases, they request a time for the groceries to be delivered, same day.
The above strategy is a Win-win situation for all stake-holders: Makes productive use of commuters’ waiting time at the Sub-way & creates a new channel of marketing for Homeplus.
No wonder, considering that South Korea is the most Wired (And, now Wire-free?) place on Earth.
(After the above campaign, Homeplus became the No.1 retailer online & a close second Offline in South Korea .)