P&G sets up underground 'stores'

P&G   MOBILE MARKETING   

Global - Procter & Gamble has set up virtual stores in underground stations in Prague, to allow commuters to buy its brands via their mobile phones. P&G has started the trial in four stations around the Czech city.

Consumers will capture QR codes for whichever items they want to purchase, and the orders will then be submitted to the biggest online store in the Czech Republic, called Mall.Cz. Consumers will then receive a message to confirm a delivery time, while waiting for the next train.

The virtual P&G stores will be stocked with the company's own products including Ariel detergent, GiletteVenus razors, Old Spice deodorant and Pantene shampoo. Reports however suggest that a few other products such as small electronics and toys will also be added, in the run-up to Christmas time.

British retailer Tesco recently trialed a similar concept in South Korea. Shoppers shopped simply by snapping pictures of products with their mobile phones. The products were later delivered by Homeplus, the local name for Tesco, to consumers' homes.