RETAIL : Shoppers Browse through Mall of Orange Computer

The information superhighway runs through Mall of Orange now, bringing a computerized holiday shopping service for customers who lack the time to go from store to store.

“No longer will shoppers need to shop till they drop,” said Mall of Orange spokeswoman Susan Park. Consumers can visit more than 90 stores, she said, “without walking further than the Mall of Orange Quick Shop Convenience Center. They will simply drop in to a computer station and shop from the comfort of an armchair.”

The system lets customers browse through participating stores’ selected gift items on a computer. The system will display full-color, digital pictures of merchandise that is organized by price. Shoppers can print out their selections, and mall personnel will call ahead to make sure stores still have items in stock.

The electronic highway only goes so far, though. Consumers will still have to walk over to participating stores to pick up their purchases.