The UK’s second largest supermarket, Asda, has said that it plans to double the number of sales it receives through mobile commerce over the next six months.
Asda’s iPhone application was launched six months ago and has since received more than half a million downloads. This was followed by the launch of an Android application one month ago, which has received 75,000 downloads.
Some six percent of its grocery orders are now placed via a mobile device, which will double in the next six months, according to the supermarket.
“Gone are the days when we could label a customer as either a traditional or a dot-com shopper. Customers don’t think in terms of channels or devices, they want to shop with ease, compare prices at the touch of a button, and pick up a product or have it delivered with the minimum of fuss,” said Judith McKenna, Asda’s chief operating officer.
“As a result, the world of retailing is being transformed at a remarkable rate and opening up exciting opportunities for retailers like ourselves.”
Asda has also revealed that it has an iPad application ‘in the pipeline’ and that it is planning to deploy in-store QR codes to enable customers to obtain additional product information, as well as customer reviews and ratings.
It was revealed last month that Asda is also planning to trial contactless payment technology in 25 of its stores from July onwards.
The contactless payment systems will be provided by both Visa and payment value chain specialist streamline, which claim that the technology helps retailers to reduce costs associated with cash handling.
Source: www.cio.co.uk
Kent tries to discredit ex-ministers' criticisms - The Vancouver Sun
The four former federal fisheries ministers from B.C. who wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper condemning changes to the Fisheries Act don't appear to have read the legislation, Environment Minister Peter Kent said Thursday.
The four ministers included former Progressive Conservative Tom Sid-don, who delivered a scathing clause-by-clause critique of the legislation before a parliamentary committee here Wednesday.
Siddon, who signed the letter with former Tory colleague John Fraser and Liberals David Anderson and Herb Dhaliwal, condemned the Harper government Thursday for creating a "Swiss cheese" fish legislation that is so full of loopholes it will benefit lawyers far more than fish or fish habitat. He also said the sweeping fisheries changes shouldn't be part of a 425-page omnibus budget implementation bill, which includes measures affecting matters such as Old Age Security and immigration. The bill is being rushed through the House of Commons before the summer break begins in late June.
"It makes a travesty of the democratic process," said Siddon, who served as fisheries minister from 1985-90 and introduced major policy changes dealing with fisheries habitat protection. "To bundle all of this into a budget bill, with all of its other facets, is not becoming of a Conservative government, period."
Both Kent and B.C. MP Randy Kamp, however, tried Wednesday to discredit their critics.
Kent told reporters that the four ministers "seem to be" responding to criticism of the changes levelled by environmental groups, rather than to the actual text of the legislation.
"We'll listen to those concerns, we'll respond to those concerns, but I think some of the reaction has come before full consumption of what the act says and what the act will actually do."
Asked if he was suggesting the four hadn't read Bill C-38's habitat provisions, Kent replied: "I'm saying by their remarks they seem not to be familiar with the specifics of the act, yes, and the way the act will be applied."
The letter alleged that the changes will "inevitably reduce and weaken" protection of fish habitat, and questioned whether federal bureaucrats even wrote the changes.
"Quite frankly, Canadians are entitled to know whether these changes were written, or insisted upon, by the minister of fisheries or by interest groups outside the government. If the latter is true, exactly who are they?"
Siddon not only cited specific clauses of the legislation during his appearance Wednesday but also had nick-names for each one, such as the "minister cops out clause" for provisions allowing Ottawa to delegate authority to other governments or even private interests. He said in an interview that he read all the provisions affecting fisheries "two or three times."
Poneil@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/poneilinottawa
Read my blog, Letter from Ottawa, at vancouversun.com/oneil
Source: www.vancouversun.com
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