“Virtual” Grocery Shopping Takes Off In China

A Chinese retailer has launched 1,000 “virtual” 3-D supermarkets at “iconic landmark locations” in the metropolitan areas of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Items at these “stores” can be purchased online using Yihaodian’s Virtual Store App; the purchases are then delivered to homes later in the day. Each virtual store offers as many as 1,000 items and offers promotional discount coupons and gift vouchers. Similar program are being tested in the U.K. and the U.S. Tesco created an online program for its HomePlus brand and offers virtual shopping in subway stations in South Korea.