Blog: eBay is putting the fun into Christmas shopping

It’s not Christmas without an eBay festive themed pop-up shop. Hot on the heels of last year’s Christmas pop-up, the online giant has opened a Social Shopping store in Covent Garden this weekend.

In store screens which display the most talked about products on Twitter – inevitably Justin Bieber merchandise ranks highly – fill the store alongside some pretty impressive augmented reality.

Of course, the store has a message – social media is taking over the world and more and more of us are taking to Twitter and the like before making a purchase.

However, let’s be honest, none of us are going to visit and buy a specific dress from the eBay store simply because others are coveting items.

The store is a great bit of PR for eBay and sends out the message that the retailer is at the cutting edge of innovation in terms of m-commerce and social media. But ultimately, it’s a bit of fun.

Shoppers in the Capital will be drawn into the store and be wowed by some of the 3D technology – I must say, seeing Spiderman jump out of nowhere while pointing my iPhone at a seemingly empty space was quite an experience.

And what else should shopping be, especially during the craziness of the festive period, than a bit of fun.