Toys "R" Us Goes Mobile for the Holidays

Toy “R” Us intensified its mobile marketing activity this holiday season.Starting in early December, the retailer placed "virtual stores" on billboards in New York, inside John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports, and at approximately 40 New Jersey Transit rail stations. The print billboards showcase products from the retailer’s seasonal “Hot Toy List,” accompanied by QR codes that link to corresponding pages on the chain’s mobile website. The billboards will remain in place through Dec. 31.At the start of the holiday season, the toy retailer launched two location-based programs. For Black Friday, users of the third-party Foursquare mobile application could unlock a “Geoffrey Holiday Badge” from Nov. 24-25 to receive 15% off a $150 purchase between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3. In addition, “Super Swarm” deals were unlocked every time 15 users checked in at the same store during a three-hour period. (One such deal offered 40% off a second phone card with purchase of the first.) Other Foursquare promotions have run throughout the season.Users of the Shopkick app checking in at one of roughly 100 stores in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles from Nov. 24-26 earned 500 “Kicks” reward points and a coupon for $10 off a $100 purchase made the following week. In stores, stanchion signs carried a QR code linking to a download of the app.Meanwhile, the retailer’s proprietary mobile app was scheduled for late-November enhancements through the addition of the “Toys "R" Us Gift Finder” and “Wish List” services previously available online (and via in-store kiosks in the case of the Wish List. See "Toys 'R' Us Hosts ..." in Related Articles.) The Gift Finder makes recommendations based on a child’s gender, age and personality — but was still not available through the app on Dec. 20. Among other mobile marketing tactics, the retailer deployed QR codes extensively, placing them in its “Great Big Toys ‘R’ Us Book” holiday catalog (where they “were scanned tens of thousands of times” within two weeks, according to a release), and on shelf talkers and other P-O-P materials. The codes link to product demos or other information; a code in the electronics department, for instance, led to a “Top 10 Movies” list.Elsewhere, an “R” mobile text-message program was promoted in circular features that explained how to sign up to receive exclusive deals. Features in Nov. 27 and Dec. 18 circulars also touted the launch of two apps for the Apple iPad, the retailer's main app and a "Geoffrey's Jungle" app for kids. Email blasts supported.Finally, Toys “R” Us added technology at 200 stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, DC, that lets shoppers make purchases using Google Wallet. (See “OfficeMax Taps ...” in Related Articles.) The retailer also reached agreements to make store-level product inventory searchable through eBay Inc.'s Milo and RedLaser apps. RedLaser users can also buy products for in-store pick-up.

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