Fall jackets are out, holiday shopping is on the minds of Canadians, and earlier this week Mattel and Walmart Canada launched the first pop-up virtual toy store in Canada. The new store adds a unique QR code-based shopping experience for commuters and gift-givers. Located in the PATH, Toronto’s underground walkway, the virtual toy store will run for four weeks and provide the ultimate ease in shopping for the next generation of gift-givers.
“Walmart is a top destination for innovation and for holiday shopping, especially when it comes to toys. We’re thrilled to partner with Mattel to bring this exclusive out-of-store experience to our busy customers,” said Cheri Anthony, Walmart’s Director of Merchandising For Toys. “It’s another way we can help Canadian families create holiday magic for less.”
The virtual toy store, created by Brandfire Marketing Group in conjunction with IMA Outdoor Inc., features two walls of three-dimensional toy images. Shoppers simply scan a QR code with their smartphone to purchase the hottest Mattel holiday toys from Walmart Canada, who also provides free shipping.
“As Canadians become increasingly comfortable with e-commerce, we see mobile-commerce taking off; in fact, the most recent statistics show that four out of five consumers use smartphones to shop,” said Melissa Chau, Brand Manager, Mattel Canada. “As leaders at the forefront of the retail customer experience, together with Walmart we are innovating shopping for our customers this holiday season.”
While traditional gift-givers can still purchase toys online or in-store, the virtual toy store aims to revolutionize what it means to window shop. The virtual toy store will be the hottest destination for the must-have toys of the season, with big brand favourites such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends.