Mattel, Walmart Innovate Mobile Shopping

Mattel and Walmart Canada launched the first pop-up virtual toy store in Canada, providing a QR code-based shopping experience in the PATH, Toronto's underground walkway.

The virtual toy store, designed by Brandfire Marketing Group and IMA Outdoor, features two walls of three-dimensional toy images that will be on display for the next four weeks. Shoppers can scan the QR code next to each image with their smartphone to purchase the Mattel toys, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends, from Walmart Canada.

"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," says 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."