Shop for groceries as you wait for Metro

The first Smart Mall service at key metro stations in Dubai will soon be a reality thanks to a collaboration between UAE telco Etisalat and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

The Smart Mall is a virtual supermarket service which will allow Dubai Metro commuters to virtually interact with their chosen stores or products and make purchases instantly while waiting for their trains to arrive.

A pilot Smart Mall will be opened at the Mall of the Emirates metro station.

Visitors to Gitex Technology Week 2015 can see a live demonstration of the virtual supermarket at the Etisalat stand (Za’beel Hall).

The new Smart Mall from Etisalat is literally a large interactive screen that allows shoppers to choose their products, pay for them via mCashier, and get them delivered to their home or chosen destination.
Etisalat’s mCashier allows merchants to accept credit and debit card payments directly on the mobile phones.

“Enormous possibilities have been generated by the Internet and digital technology over the past few decades and digital innovations are set to shape future living in the UAE as much as it is worldwide,” said Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer at Etisalat.

“At Etisalat, we are keen to define future service models with the focus on digital services, powered by our fast and reliable fixed and mobile networks. The Smart Mall is an initiative in that direction. It integrates the physical world with the digital one and we are excited to partner with RTA to bring this virtual mall to residents and visitors in the UAE,” he added.

For the pilot Smart Mall at Mall of the Emirates metro station, Etisalat has partnered with trolley.ae, an online grocery shopping service in Dubai.