New virtual shop ensures that when you get home from your flight, there is already food in your fridge. It will make finding an excuse to order pizza a bit harder though.Whenever I get home from a long plane ride, the last thing I want to do is restock my fridge. I am tired, I am exhausted, and I have a huge suitcase (or two) staring at me screaming, “Unpack me” over and over again. There is also laundry, checking all my back emails, and catching up on my favorite blogs. I really do not want to schlep to the grocery store, even if I get home in the middle of the afternoon. It just is not happening. But then I realize that I have no food. And while ordering take-out Chinese food is always a check in the “plus” column for me (in fact, I rarely need an excuse when it comes to Chinese food), it would be nice to have at least some milk in the fridge for coffee, and maybe some bread and eggs. What if you could order your food in the airport and have it at your door when you got home?
Tesco, a popular chain in the United Kingdom, has recently launched a new interactive virtual grocery store located in London’s Gatwick Airport to aid frequent and not-so frequent fliers shop for food for home armed only with their own personal smartphone.
First tested last year in Seoul, South Korea, this virtual store enables commuters to shop for their food by simply pointing and clicking their smartphone over the food barcode.
The virtual store in the airport provides the opportunity for people to buy all the necessary staples, including cheese, bread, milk, chocolate, and of course, wine. By the time a person gets home, there will be a delivery person waiting with the box of groceries.
Currently, there are ten digital displays throughout the airport – four for perishable items and six for non-perishable goods. In total, there are approximately 80 products, including not only food but also cleaning products as well.
According to Ken Towle, internet retailing director at Tesco: “It gives us a unique window into the future and the chance to try out exciting new concepts. The virtual store blends clicks and bricks, bringing together our love of browsing with the convenience of online shopping. It’s a chance to showcase what we can do to the 30,000 people a day who will depart from Gatwick’s North Terminal, many of whom will need to fill their fridges when they get home, and we’re looking forward to hearing what they think.”
If this works, do not be surprised to see these virtual stores popping up in more airports around the globe.
While it will certainly lessen the laziness factor when it comes to going shopping after a long flight, I would still find an excuse to get Chinese take-out. (The way to my heart, just for all intensive purposes is chicken with broccoli with a side of fried rice and an egg roll…in case you ever wanted to know for one reason or another!)
For more interesting stories on the advancements of shopping, check out Kinectshop – the next generation of shopping and a grocery cart that will help you make better food choices.
