Virtual Subway shopping in Seoul

by R. Elgin on October 25, 2011

This experiment by Cheil Communications and Tesco Homeplus was started last Fall and can now be found at Seollueng Station, Line #2.

As can be seen, a large, wall-length billboard is installed in the station, designed to look like a series of supermarket shelves and displaying images and prices of a range of common products. each sign also includes a QR code. Users scan the code of any product they would like to purchase, thereby adding it to their online shopping cart. After the web transaction is completed, the products are delivered to the user’s home within the day.

{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Robin Hedge October 25, 2011 at 5:22 am: Wow, smart idea.
2 Charles Tilly October 25, 2011 at 5:42 am: This was reported on awhile ago. Just saying, dawg.
3 Bulgogi Fanatic October 25, 2011 at 5:46 am: Wowsers! That’s pretty cool! Again, another example of Korea’s ability to integrate technology and everyday life. Come to this of it, this idea is something that I would definitely use as well!

I also like the idea of this being at the transportation station – there is a lot of waiting going on and doing nothing. Might as well buy some milk and bread while one is waiting for the bus/train! Pretty neat and practical service!
4 numberoneoppa October 25, 2011 at 7:14 am: Wow. This is awesome.
5 agoldensky October 25, 2011 at 8:08 am: 2 wows and 1 awesome, looks like roboseyo has competition.
6 setnaffa October 25, 2011 at 8:25 am: Very nice idea!!
7 bumfromkorea October 25, 2011 at 8:57 am: For a moment there, I thought the shopping bilboard thing was on the subway cart itself, and had an image of an unfortunate shopper who wanted to get a bottle of apple juice, but the cart began to move and he accidentally ordered some coffee creamer instead.
8 monkhughes October 25, 2011 at 10:03 am: lol
9 Robert Koehler October 25, 2011 at 10:09 am: This was a matter of some controversy some time ago, too:

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_business/489884.html

Nice that they got it running now, though.
10 Arghaeri October 25, 2011 at 11:28 am: Is it actually installed now since the photo posted by Elgin and that in the Hani article in June are the same
11 Jashin Densetsu October 25, 2011 at 12:10 pm: crass commercialism at its crassest. they should display nice pictures or nature scenes or something. not turn it into an underground costco.
12 chiamattt October 25, 2011 at 1:31 pm: It’d be cool to make qr code stickers to put over the product codes to sell other things.
13 Sperwer October 25, 2011 at 2:40 pm: @11. Yeah, because that’s worked so well in the places where they’ve installed plastic vegetation, urban scum ponds and mechanical bird calls
14 Jashin Densetsu October 25, 2011 at 2:58 pm: @13

they’re just big computer screens bro. all they need to do is display paintings or landscape wallpapers or something.
15 Arghaeri October 25, 2011 at 7:07 pm: eh! its just a normal picture isn’t it?
16 Apodyopsis Gymnophoria October 25, 2011 at 7:15 pm: I didn’t know my iPhone had a scanner ??
17 Brendon Carr October 25, 2011 at 7:37 pm: A scanner is just a digital camera.
18 sanshinseon October 25, 2011 at 8:09 pm: wow, another stride into The Future. an ugly one, IMHO…
I rather enjoy the physical sensations and social interactions of picking a few things up at my local Super on the way home each eve — one part of life that wasn’t digitalized and anonymous yet.
19 hoju_saram October 25, 2011 at 8:27 pm: Pretty soon we won’t have to talk to anyone. Buy our groceries using our cell phones, socialise using Facebook, engage in political and other discourse on blogs and internet forums, and date using online matchmaking websites. Actually speaking to flesh and blood people? So last century!
20 Arghaeri October 25, 2011 at 9:49 pm: Apody, you need to download a ” QR Reader” App from the Appstore
21 Apodyopsis Gymnophoria October 25, 2011 at 9:58 pm: Thank you…

I am amazed tonight, people are helpful rather than cynical or teasing.

thanks.. I will download that app now.
22 SomeguyinKorea October 25, 2011 at 10:46 pm: So, basically passengers are bombarded by yet more advertisement and can’t tell which subway car is full? How is that supposed to be progress?
23 CactusMcHarris October 26, 2011 at 2:28 am: Brother San at #18,

I’m with you there – I’d never, ever want to shop at such a place. Give me the corner market that had a few staples and ojingo and beer, but I’m repeating myself…if this is the future I guess I don’t have to engage it quite yet, do I?