Want to know where the hot shopping spots are in Vancouver, but don't have time to research guidebooks or the Internet?

A new application -- or app -- for iPhone and iPod Touch users, developed in Vancouver, might be able to help.

Called "Chic Walks," the five-dollar, GPS-enabled app provides an interactive shopping tour guide of Vancouver -- complete with directions and maps.

"A lot of people when they come to Vancouver stick to main areas such as Robson Street and don't find the other great pockets of shopping available all over the city," said Karen Henrich, CEO of Chicwalks Media Inc. "Main Street has fantastic local designers showcasing their work and we know people want to find those gems, the little independent shops."

Vancouver is the first city to get the app, which also provides details of the types of items that can be found in a store, right down to the brands or designers.

"Sometimes you can't tell really what's in a store by just looking at it from the outside, so the listings are there to help you along," Henrich said.

Small boutique owners, such as Neda Pessione, are giving the app favourable reviews.

"I can see it is very simple, very straight forward. It's not confusing for people," Pessione said.

The app is set to launch in other cities, including Paris, San Francisco, New York and London.

For information about the app, click here.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Peter Grainger