Traditional retail shops are bending over backwards to develop apps and get us spending more online. But here's something that caught our plastic-happy eyes – an online-only retailer trying it the old fashioned way.
The UK branch of eBay is gearing up for its first, five day Christmas Boutique – an actual real-life shop on Dean Street in Soho, London that will sell toys, gifts and electronics.
Whatever you buy – from DVDs and games to LCD TVs – you'll have to scan the QR codes of the products to pay for anything. If the venture takes off, expect to see more eBay stores popping up during the holiday period. You've got to feel for guys like Harvey Norman: the online retailers just aren't fighting fair.
However, eBay Australia spokesperson Sandy Culkoff told CRN despite the buzz around the UK venture there were no plans for a similar move locally. But if the UK experiment proves a success, it could spur a rethink of the relationhip between bricks and mortar and online business.
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