Window shopping may have lost all meaning.
Retail giant Walmart Canada and Mattel Canada has launched the country's first virtual toy shop, allowing consumers to make holiday purchases right from a store window.
For four weeks, shoppers in Toronto's underground walkway (called the PATH) can scan a QR (quick response) code with their smartphones to purchase a toy from Walmart with free shipping. The virtual store also features two walls of 3-D toy images to showcase some of this season's hottest gift options for kids.
"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 of Mattel Canada in a press release.
Popular products this year (and probably every other year) from Mattel include toys from Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends. This season, other toy trends also include electronics for preschoolers, apps on tablets and smartphones and "construction toys" that allow kids to build their own masterpieces, according to the Canadian Toy Association.
And parents, get those wallets ready. If you're planning to shop online or visit stores, a new survey from the Bank of Montreal suggests that Canadians will spend 15 per cent more this holiday season. On average, shoppers surveyed said they planned to spend $674 for holiday gifts, compared to $583 last year.
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