Well, your virtual store is here!

Source: Strategy Online,Canada

A few weeks ago, I had written a blog on QR codes. I had mentioned about an article how smart marketers use QR codes. The Global supermarket giant Tesco used QR codes to entice hard-working, time-strapped Koreans into its stores by bringing the shopping experience to them, with virtual stores based in subways and metro stations. Now the same thing is happening here in Toronto, the first of its kind in North America.

Well.ca, a Canadian online store that focuses on health, beauty, personal care and household products has launched what it says is the first virtual shopping wall in North America.

The Union Station (Subway stop) in Toronto has the virtual walls now. Folks can scan the QR codes to make the purchase and the items will be delivered free to them the very next day. The virtual shelves hold products from P&G brands such as Tide, Crest, Head and Shoulders and Pampers.

Who is the target audience? The folks at well.ca claim that the target audience are women with children who after a long day of work don’t necessarily want to carry large diaper boxes. It'll be interesting to see if these "women with childen" adopt this technology (and scan a wall) and are attracted to the idea. Perhaps, the Union Station was the best test bed. The wall is out there until April 30. So, do check it out!

Love for LUSH!

As the lady at the store explained me how to use the “Mask of Magnaminty”, my husband looked at me and asked "Can I eat this?" His question was a valid one as LUSH products are technically edible. He did not dare to try that though.

LUSH,a brand known for fresh handmade bath and beauty products,is extremely popular worldwide. They have over 600 stores in more than 400 countries. From Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka, and from Bangalore to Toronto, LUSH has a strong loyal fan base.But what makes these products special? They are 100% organic and handmade. What excites most individuals at a LUSH store is that the products are full of bright colors and great scent. To top that, the reps at the store are extremely knowledgeable. They are polite, take personal interest and know the stuff.

LUSH is a great example of a high quality product with some unique selling tricks. It has some innovative marketing and branding strategies. Sample this – a product called “Bath Bombs” are solid balls made of sodium bicarbonate that fizz with different scents and colors when dropped in the bathtub. Isn’t that cool?
I have hardly seen any ads of LUSH in the print and television media but I have heard many women talk passionately about it. And LUSH makes sure that there is lot to talk about it. They do not sell products older than four months. The soap bars are sold "naked" i.e. free of wasteful plastic packaging. They also promote recycling of containers.

And my favorite part - each LUSH product has a sticker with the date the product was made and the name of the person who made it. I think that this is a great way of employee motivation. Imagine if I worked at LUSH and made a face mask and the package had my name on it.! BTW, the mask that I bought was made by Adam. Thank you, Adam!

Roll up the Rim to Win

As soon as you finish your coffee (or even before that), you roll up the rim and check if you have won something? If you are lucky, in the best case, you could be winning a Toyota Camry or in the most likely case - a free coffee. Yes, am talking about Tim Horton's "Roll Up the Rim to Win" contest. Every now and then, I see folks in Toronto finishing their coffee and rolling up the rim to see if they have won anything. Recently, a stranger at the subway station asked me if I had won anything just as I had just finished my coffee and had rolled up the rim.(Unfortunately, the message read “ Play again”).

A promotional event something like this is bound to create some excitement. I found out that Tim Horton’s has been running this promotion for the past 26 years!. When they started this annual contest, the prize was just a box of Timbits. And every year since then, the prize has grown bigger and better. This year, Tim Hortons is promising $60 million in prizes. It is believed that about 80% of the prizes are redeemed every year. The company claims that he chances of winning are 1 in six. The excitement runs so high that there were recent reports that thieves have been stealing the Roll Up the Rim cups. Perhaps, this was the easiest way for the thieves to win a prizes that include Toyota Camry Hybrids and Panasonic 3D TVs.

I was curious to know if anyone had won a Toyota Camry yet. I googled and read that an Ottawa rapper had won it recently. Good, makes me believe that these promotions are for real! :)

Personally, I think this is a great marketing campaign. The loyal customers would feel good if they won something (even a free coffee) and the not so regular drinkers would hope for a big prize and try it out. And all this should ensure increased sales for Tim Hortons. Perhaps not!. This is what Tim Horton’s reported last year as it could not meet shareholder’s expectations. (I find this difficult to digest.)

Anyway, I’ll keep purchasing a few more Tim Horton products till the contests last and hope that I get a big prize. Owning a Camry or a 3D TV as prize would be nice ! Keeping my fingers crossed!

QR Codes?

Do people really use them? They are so ugly. I tried them a few times, but all they do is connect us to the websites. So, should they really be there?
My husband asked me these questions as we had breakfast at Hanks and he looked at some of the paintings that had a QR (Quick Response) code listed below them for the details.

For some time now, you'll notice that a lot of the ads have the QR codes placed in them. The QR codes were introduced by Toyota and since then Marketers have had many justifications on using them. With the surge in smart phones, there are apps designed for smart phones where individuals can point their devices at the codes for a few seconds and are sent to a website. If you are a savvy marketer, going QR is a way to go digital from the traditional style of print advertisement.

If you’d like to get a QR Code done, it is quite easy. Choose one among these to start your own QR code
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
http://www.qrstuff.com/
http://goqr.me/

I built one now and if you scan the below QR code, you’ll be directed to my website.

Most of the times, QR codes don’t lead to a mobile friendly content. Also, the codes are seen at areas (like the subways) where there is no telecom coverage. Thus, they serve no purpose.

Here is an interesting article I read recently on how to using QR codes for effective Marketing

When I see people reading ads that have QR codes, I often ask them if they have used it before. The youngsters have tried it a few times but did not sound very excited about it. Others, like my husband, felt it was more of a distraction. It is up to savvy marketers to make QR code content more meaningful and interesting.