Samsung Camera Phones To Be Pre-Loaded with Scanbuy’s 2D Barcode Application

A major win for ScanBuy to get Samsung to embed their mobile bar code reading application.

Scanbuy, a global leader in mobile marketing solutions, today announced that it has secured a global agreement with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to preload the ScanLife mobile 2D barcode application on Samsung’s camera phones.

Samsung will begin selling these phones in Spain, Italy, and Denmark starting as early as next month. Availability will quickly expand to other major markets including Mexico and the United States.

ScanLife technology uses camera phones to connect the physical world to the digital world. The application reads EZcodes and other major 2D barcode formats designed to quickly recognize and process information. Marketers and content providers use the ScanLife Code Management Platform (www.scanlife.com) to extend brand engagement onto mobile devices, while end users scan EZcodes to get information quickly and easily.

The ScanLife solution gives consumers and code publishers both national and international interoperability for the use of 2D codes.

Samsung is the second largest phone manufacturer in the world, and is expected to sell over 200 million handsets in 2008. Samsung’s extensive line of popular phones include the Blackjack, Glyde, and the recently released Instinct.

“The 2D barcode solution delivered by Scanbuy is a valuable technology, making phone navigation simpler and more effective for end users,” said Wonsik Lee, Vice President of R&D Planning Team, Samsung. “We are dedicated to continually improving our customers’ experience using Samsung mobiles, and the ScanLife application allows them to instantly access information anytime and anywhere.”

As part of the global agreement, Samsung will pre-load camera phones with the ScanLife application for each new country rolling-out Scanbuy’s complete solution.

Samsung will also use EZcodes to promote and market their extensive portfolio of consumer related electronics.

U.S. Mobile Internet Users Ready For 2D Barcode Technology

Research Now, surveyed people who own a camera phone and have accessed the mobile Internet at least once, which amounts to over 34 million people domestically according to M:Metrics.

The online survey showed over 1,000 mobile Internet users from across the United States a short explanation of how ScanLife works with potential applications for the technology.

Participants were then asked to provide a measure of their interest in 2D code technology and to specifically identify the benefits and barriers to using the mobile Internet.

It can be downloaded from the mobile browser on about 70 different handset models at www.getscanlife.com or by texting SCAN to 70734

“This survey confirms a developing trend: that a definite market need exists for this technology and the ScanLife application fills this gap for consumers, connecting them to vital information in a matter of seconds,” said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy.

“After deploying ScanLife in a number of international markets, the initial reception from end-users has been extremely positive, and these research results show that 2D barcode technology has huge potential for adoption in the U.S. market as well.”

More stories on ScanBuy

MobileDiscovery GetsFailing Grade For Case Western's Mobile Bar Code Trial

In parts of Asia and Europe, marketers have been using bar code technology to help sell things to people on their cellphones. There have been a few small-scale tests, but judging from the experience of one under way at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, the technique is nowhere near ready for widespread use.

Considering this was the first major trial for Physical World Connection, the marketing guys at MobileDiscovery dropped the ball big time. (Jonathan Bulkeley, CEO of ScanBuy, informed me that they had nothing to do with the marketing of this campaign)

In my opinion, advertisers are failing to grasp how big Physical World Connection (bar codes and mobile phones) is and how to implement it. Mobile bar codes can link a brand directly with a consumer immediately.

This Case Western campaign is lacking any creativity and focuses on the benefits for advertisers and carriers, not the consumers. A big mistake.


From the N.Y. Times Bar Code Sales Tool Failing

A company called Mobile Discovery, based in Reston, Va., is conducting the test at Case in conjunction with the university’s engineering school, whose students are helping to manage it. Students and other people affiliated with the university can download software to their cellphones and then can get campus bus arrival times, order magazine subscriptions, enter a sweepstakes sponsored by QVC and get text alerts from USA Today, among other applications. (they couldn't find a more hip publication than USA Today to participate? how many college kids read USA Today?)

They are also called free sweepstakes for a reason.

Interest in the pilot project, which started Feb. 1 and will run at least through May 15, has been tepid, according to students on campus, in part because of the cellphone fees associated with it. (It costs 2 cents or more to check when the next shuttle bus arrives, for instance.)

It's ridiculous to make consumers pay for this type of advertising.

Five phone carriers, including Sprint and AT&T, were cooperating in the trial — but not contributing money for it.

If you want to see mass adoption of this technology, carriers need to turn off the meter for a bit and see who and how consumers scan mobile bar codes. Think of this as an R/D expense for the next generation advertising model. The revenues will come but first you need to let early adopters (the targeted demographic) decide HOW and WHAT they want to use it for.

According to Ms. Dietz of the campus paper, the biggest downside of the Mobile Discovery trial is that the technology is not free.

QVC, the shopping network, introduced a campaign last month called Make It or Break It, inviting participants in the trial to create codes on mobilediscovery.com, then post them around campus for others to scan. Each scan gives the student an entry into a QVC sweepstakes, increasing the chance of winning a prize.

Jeffrey Charney, a QVC marketing director said, “Bar codes are the next killer app,”.

I think that is true, but in this case QVC is relying on the consumer to create the codes. A very bad idea. That will only work AFTER it gets traction.

So far, the most popular use of the technology at Case has been real-time arrival information for campus buses, called Greenies.

This is actually beneficial to the consumer. They get timely information when scanning a code. If you want to combine ads with the bus schedule that would work.

To get rapid adoption of the scanning application on the phone, you need to find a captive audience and include a contest. Did anyone think of a Case Western sporting event? In an arena, or stadium your have hundreds or thousands of people looking at the scoreboard during the game. A simple "send a text to XXXXX to get your EZCode" would work. Include a couple EZCodes in the program for people to scan to win a free Coke etc.

Did the marketing guys talk to any of the local retailers? Are there any campaigns that require a consumer to scan the same code to promote ease of use? Are there any time sensitive campaigns? Any viral ideas?

“Students don’t perceive it as practical,” Ms. Vermeersch said. “Why would anyone actually pay for advertising?”.
They won't. The key point is to give the consumer something in return for permission to advertise on the phone.

The software being used in the Case pilot project, EZcode, was developed by Scanbuy, a mobile marketing company that is conducting a separate trial involving restaurants and other stores in its home city, San Francisco.

Did the marketing guys think of placing a notice in the daily school paper on how to download the EZCode software application?

Outside of a couple sweepstakes, what other goods/info were offered?

This was the first major trial of Physical World Connection in the US. The lack of creativity is very disappointing.

Next generation technology should have next generation marketing vision directing it.

Bar Codes, Not Just For Groceries Anymore

I published the Case Western Bar Code story before, but this article gives more details.

A group of Masters of Engineering Management (MEM) students is working to implement a 2D bar code system on campus this semester. This trial is the first of its kind in the nation

These bar codes can be read by almost any phone with a camera and the ability to access the Internet using a program called ScanLife. ScanLife turns the average cell phone into a bar code reader.

Here's the really valuable part. Imagine the value (for consumers and advertisers) of knowing all of the codes you clicked on and storing on a "MyCode" or "MyScan" portal? Opportunities are huge for this.

Students using the ScanLife program need to sign up for the service at www.mobilediscovery.com using a valid Case e-mail address. The MobileDiscovery website keeps track of scan history for the user's phone as well as the most popular scans overall.

Alltel, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon are all participating in this trial, and phones from some other services can be used as well.

Here's what I would do if I was Scanlife. (owned by ScanBuy)

Each user that downloads the application gets their own "MyScan" site.

Everytime I scan a mobile bar code, the action is registered and linked to this site. When I am at home on my PC I can check out what I scanned for more detailed information about that product/code.

Nobody will read any lengthy document, or video on their cellphone. Scanning a mobile code is spontaneous, advertisers can continue the relationship with the scanner on their PC. Brand X knows when and where you scanned their mobile code. Pay-per-scan information trumps pay-per-click don't you think?

Can you see why Google should be looking at ScanBuy?

Vivo Adopts Scanbuy's ScanLife Mobile Bar Code Platform

Another major wireless carrier adopts Scanbuy's mobile bar code reading application.

Scanbuy, a global leader in mobile 2D barcode and marketing solutions, announced today that Vivo, Brazil's largest mobile telecom operator, will support its ScanLife platform and become the first mobile operator in Latin America to utilize 2D barcodes.

Vivo, a joint venture between Telefonica and Portugal Telecom, is the largest mobile telecommunications operator in the Southern Hemisphere.



Vivo chose Scanbuy's ScanLife platform after an extensive bidding process for a completely integrated solution combining client and server applications. Scanbuy has partnered with EverMobile to deliver the ScanLife solution in Brazil.

The ScanLife platform has also been deployed in France, Spain, the Philippines, China and the United States. Several other markets are expected to launch in 2008.

How much longer before we start seeing the 21st Century Bar Code?

Sears Starts Using 2D Mobile Bar Codes

Sears is the first major U.S. retailer to start a public trial of 2-D barcode technology.

Sears Uses 2D Bar Codes


Efforts to implement retail 2-D bar codes are accelerating, with Sears becoming the first U.S. retailer to begin a public trial that started in mid-December at a store in Marietta, Georgia.

Sears' name is now on a substantial list of top-tier U.S. retailers who have been seriously exploring the technology, including Best Buy, Gap, Target and Nordstrom.

There are multiple vendors pushing the technology in the United States; Best Buy and Target are working with a company called StoreXperience, while Sears and others are talking with an outfit called ScanBuy.

ScanBuy Gets New Mobile Bar Code Patents As Sprint Adopts Their ScanLife Platform

Scanbuy, a global leader in mobile 2D bar code and marketing solutions, today announced the approval of seven patents which cover a variety of elements relating to its integrated ScanLife Code Registry and Management platform.

Officially granted in 2007, each of the new patents enables a user’s mobile device to decipher 2D codes and deliver digital content through a server gateway, offering the most convenient way for mobile devices to access information from the physical world.

The patents cover new methods of processing and enhancing bar code images captured by a digital camera connected to a mobile device.

The state-of-the-art ScanLife Code Registry and Management platform has been deployed successfully in France, Spain, the Philippines, China and the United States.

AllTel is now listed as a carrier for ScanBuy's ScanLife too.

In addition, take a look at how Sprint has adopted Scanbuy's mobile bar code reading platform ScanLife, in their new PhoneIQ application. Expect more EZcodes in/on major publications soon.

What this really means.

Because Dupont selected Scanbuy as its exclusive provider for the 21st Century Barcode, (microEZ) mobile marketing companies will be able to offer brands the ability to connect their product/package with a consumer using a camera phone and a 2d barcode.

Every Coke can, cereal box, DVD package etc will act like a physical world hyperlink when a camera phone scans the 2d code on the packaging.

In my opinion, physical world hyperlinks have the ability to revive retail stores.

By adding a 2d code to packaging, the Internet comes into a retail store, offering brands lots of exciting options.

2D barcodes, or in this case EZCodes, will compliment keywords as the commodity for Internet advertising.

ScanLife® can be used with all major 2D barcode protocols including QR, DataMatrix; and codes made especially for camera phone like Scanbuy’s EZcode™.

Some exciting developments are expected from ScanBuy shortly. Readers might want to download the ScanLife barcode reading application on the phone to take see.

To get the ScanLife mobile barcode application simply text SCAN to 70734 or go to www.scanlife.com and enter your phone number.

It is clear that the ScanLife is becoming the standard mobile bar code reading application in the U.S.

See why Microsoft's Don Dodge picked ScanBuy as a Company To Watch?

Sprint Promotes ScanLife Mobile Bar Codes In Wired Magazine

A major U.S. wireless carrier, Sprint, is recognizing (and promoting) how big Physical World Connection (camera phone and barcodes) will be.

On page 35 of this month's Wired Magazine Sprint has a full page ad called "The Captivating Future Of The Bar Code".

Sprint is advertising ScanBuy's ScanLife mobile bar code reading application for camera phones.

ScanBuy was the first physical world connection company to land a carrier and major brand.

Notable quotes from the ad.

"not since the electric toothbrush has such an ordinary object emerged to make the the world a more nimble place"

"you are about to experience the life-altering future of the bar-code"

" we can't say for sure (no one can), but we have reason to believe .

"we have reason to believe that the bar code is going to revolutionize the way people consume things"

Sears, Billboard, Burn Magazine, Nike are just a few companies that are using ScanLife's mobile bar codes to link camera phones to the Net.

If you have a camera phone text "SCAN" to 70734 and download the free application, It takes less than a minute. supported phones

Take a picture of the bar code on the screen (or the magazine) and receive your secret prize.
This poor image of the bar code, that was taken by a camera phone, can be scanned by the ScanLife application.

What's Next For Mobile Services

Forbes highlights what's next for mobile services.
U.S. Importing Asian Cellular Sophistication

Japan and South Korea have spent years pushing innovation on the third screen, enabling phones to act as wallets, TVs and advertising vehicles. U.S. mobile operators, meanwhile, have focused on expanding and improving their service networks, sticking to basic services, such as text messaging.

That's changing. Over the next six months, U.S. carriers are gearing up to launch several waves of new cellular services.

Mark Donovan, a senior analyst at M:Metrics
is more bullish on two-dimensional barcodes.

A hit in Japan, the codes are being used to build a bridge between physical items—from roadside billboards to magazine print ads—to the virtual world. Their square, black-and-white, mottled patterns hold about 10 times more data than the familiar, skinny barcodes and can be printed on paper in ink or displayed as pixels on a screen.

Next year, the codes will get their first wide release in America.

ScanBuy , a New York-based wireless commerce developer, has convinced Sprint to do a six-month trial of the technology beginning as early as January. Other major carriers are considering making the technology available on their phones and networks, too

Mobile Bar Code Scanbuy Receives More VC Funding

Just after hooking up with Sprint for a mobile barcode campaign, Scanbuy receives more VC funding.

From GoMo News Mobile visual barcode company Scanbuy gets 6.8 million USD Series B 1 investment

Scanbuy just received 6.8 Million USD in VC money an internal round of initial and existing investors.

When DuPont announced they would be placing Scanbuy's 2d mobile code on packaging, the 21st Century Barcode was created.

Sprint Sponsors ScanLife's Mobile Barcode With Billboard Magazine Campaign

Kudos to ScanBuy for being the first U.S. Physical World Connection company to land a carrier and major brand for a mobile barcode campaign. The combination of Sprint and the right demographic group should open doors for ScanLife and EZCodes.

Scanbuy's ScanLife 2D bar code scanning technology, which Sprint is now testing on selected mobile phones in the United States, already has been adopted by consumers around the globe. (coming soon to AT&T and Alltel).

In the Philippines, Mobitms has partnered with Scanbuy to provide a suite of services that allow consumers to access the Web, surf for content or buy products via their mobile phones with the click of their cameras.


In France, Regie Autonome Transports Parisiens, a major public transportation company in Paris, is working with Scanbuy to give commuters easy access to transportation and tourism information



To get ScanLife on your mobile phone, text SCAN to 70734 or go to www.getscanlife.com to download the free trial application. After you have ScanLife on your phone, start scanning EZCodes and make your own. It's EZ.

See all the useful things advertisers and you can do with EZCodes.

Is Physical World Connection Starting To Happen?

Are we starting to see the tipping point for Physical World Connection PWC?

I am seeing more consumer good products with 2d barcodes placed next to the old 1d barcode.

DuPont is starting to place the21st Century Barcode on consumer good packaging. The next step is for mobile marketing companies to build campaigns around these. Using a camera phone and a barcode scanning application, a consumer can scan this 2d code and be directed to any website.

Colgate-Palmolive appears to be the company in front offering the most physical world hyperlinks on their products.

In Jan 2008, physical world connection player Scanbuy , will be launching a pilot in the US, with the 5 biggest carriers.

Next time you're in the supermarket, take a look at what companies are starting to place 2d codes next to 1d codes. These companies should be the ones introducing PWC in their advertising campaigns.

There will two main forms of Physical World Connection.

First, 2d barcodes will already be placed on consumer goods and will act as a physical world hyperlink that the brand can use for various advertising. In addition to a cashier scanning a 1d code at register, a consumer could scan a 2d code and be directed to a website.

Second, individuals will be able to create and place their own 2d barcode allowing a direct connection when scanned with a camera phone to the Internet (FaceBook, MySpace, ecommerce site, etc).

It would make sense for GoDaddy or Verisign to start offering this application when domains are purchased don't you think?

MobiTMS Lands Nike And Nescafe As Mobile Bar Code Clients

Physical World Connection player MobiTMS have been busy landing major brands for mobile bar code campaigns (Physical World Connection).

In one of their biggest wins to date, NIKE launched the first “Mobile 2.0” Ads campaign in ASIA using TMS, the suite of Internet Mobile Services. For the first step of this campaign 4 NBA stars (Lebron James, Kidds, Pierce, Soudemare) will be associated to a barcode linked to mobile goods to download.

How cool is seeing Lebron James with a 2D barcode? The campaign is showing in outdoor billboards (8 / 11 feet) and in magazines like FHM and in NIKE stores.


Video






Nescafe Philippine decide to use one of the TMS Ads program “Sponsoring link” to launch a Ads campaign targeted at teens.

The TMS barcodes inside Game Magazine (one of the most popular teens magazines) will be associate to Nescafe for an interactive relationship with the readers. Nescafe will offer a direct download of Ring Tones and videos.

Last month TMS provided mobile barcodes for Christina Aguilera and had MTV as a marketing partner.

MobiTMS (www.mobitms.com ) is the provider of the wireless TMS suite of Internet Mobile services - the SMS 2.0 - a mobile solution allowing consumers to Find, Access, Chat, Surf and Buy contents or products with mobile phones in 1 click.

TMS is “SIM card OPEN” and can be used everywhere in the world. The worldwide TMS Platform associates international & standard 2D barcode technology to a management mobile contents & M-Payment solution.

TMS is using Scanbuy's mobile code scanning platform.

See all of the campaigns and stories related to TMS.

Expect to see a major announcement from TMS.

Reality TV Show Uses Scanbuy's 2D Codes

Physical World Connection (PWC) player Scanbuy has updated their website and announced a PWC application for a French reality TV show.


Scanbuy’s EZcode is being used on the popular French primetime TV show “Treasure Hunt” (modeled on the U.S. “Amazing Race".

The “Le Carte aux Tresors” application is a clever—but decidedly non-mainstream—application for 2D codes. The real benefit of this weekly television program is its consumer education value! For the entire season, French TV viewers (in any week, ~20% of the French population) are exposed to EZcode, how to scan using a cameraphone, information/content discovery, and the application’s ease-of-use



Link to video

Scanbuy is a leading global provider of mobile marketing solutions that use the camera phone as the link between the physical and digital worlds. Scanbuy’s 2D barcode capture technology is revolutionizing the way carriers, handset manufacturers and marketers around the world provide information and services to consumers on their mobile devices.

See how the mobile world is using Scanbuy today.

Physical World Hyperlinks Coming Soon!

New barcodes on signs, posters and the like are expanding the mobile web.

From Sydney Morinng Herald Physical World Hyperlinks Coming Soon!

The world of the so-called 2D barcode is nearly upon us. After several false dawns, hyperlinks for the physical world are becoming a reality, thanks to mobiles with higher resolution cameras and the emergence of 3G high-speed connectivity.

ScanBuy, a New York provider of technology capturing 2D barcodes, has signed a deal with Nokia to embed its software in the mobile maker's S60 and S40 models - primarily in China, a country with 500 million mobile-phone users. And global packaging company DuPont is offering to print the codes onto its customers' products using ScanBuy's technology.

These more sophisticated versions of traditional barcodes (universal product codes) used in retailing can be scanned by cameraphones and converted into text, images or video. They can simply contain information - up to 1MB in some cases - or act as web links, making the tricky process of surfing the net via mobile as easy as "point and click".

Physical World Connection...SMS 2.0?

TMS Republic have created an interesting way to market 2d barcodes and in the process, have defined Physical World Connection as "SMS 2.0".

Tag Mobile Service (TMS) is the new mobile Service allowing you to find, access, chat, surf and buy contents or products with your mobile phone in just a click. TMS is a Hyperlink to Mobile.

A mobile link between offline and online contents (physical world hyperlink) and is also the link that makes Internet - Web site - and - Mobile site - compatible

The typical method of SMS (text message) is to send a keyword to a short code and get a response. Users can then click for more info.

TMS users can either scan a mobile code with a camera phone and be directed to website OR they can type in the (keyword/keynumber) under the code and be linked directly to that site. The code scanning platform acts as a "direct connect" portal.

This is a great way to market PWC and also solves a couple problems still associated with Physical World Connection? Whose mobile code is this and

When you see a 2D barcode in your favorite Magazine or Web site, you can use the TMS reader to scan it or you can just enter the TMS short code below the 2D barcode to access directly to the services.


The TMS hyperlink is the user friendly bridge between the physical world or the Web and the Mobile phone

Other articles that discuss what TMS is doing with mobile codes.

TMS uses Scanbuy's mobile code scanning platform.

PowerMe Mobile Adopts Scanbuy's 2D Barcode Scanning Technology

Because DuPont, the world's largest consumer good packaging company licensed Scanbuy's interactive 2d barcode technology, and will be the exclusive marketer of their camera phone technology, I expect to see more companies adopt Scanbuy's 2d code scanning platform.

PowerMe Mobile Adopts Scanbuy's 2D Barcode Scanning Technology

PowerMeMobile, the Lebanese mobile solutions provider has signed an agreement with Scanbuy, Inc., a global provider of mobile marketing solutions, to market Scanbuy's two-dimensional (2D) barcode scanning technology in the Middle East and Africa.

The patented technology consists of a client application, called ScanLife,™ that is downloaded on mobile phones allowing the end user to read EZcodes, Scanbuy's patented 2D bar codes.

"Within the next 24 months we expect 2D barcodes to become ubiquitous as marketers and media deploy codes on products and marketing materials worldwide", said Jonathan Bulkeley, Chief Executive Officer of Scanbuy, Inc.

Bassam Tuéni, CEO of PowerMe Mobile, said: "We are proud to be associated with Scanbuy and its outstanding scan technology. We feel that it will enhance our solutions and offerings to the operators in the MENA region."

Recently PowerMe Mobile signed a content supply agreement with Universal Music Group, the world's largest music label. This could open the door to scanning all of Universal's physical items (Cds, movie posters etc) with a camera phone.

2D Barcodes To Take Giant Leap Forward

Another respected technology publication realizing Physical World Connection is coming and highlighting one of the players.

From Guardian Unlimited Mobile Phone Hyperlinks For The Real World

The world of the so-called 2D barcode is nearly upon us. After several false dawns, hyperlinks for the physical world are becoming a reality, thanks to mobiles with higher resolution cameras and the emergence of 3G high-speed connectivity.

ScanBuy, a New York-based provider of 2D barcode capture technology, has signed a deal with Nokia to embed its software into the mobile manufacturer's S60 and S40 models - primarily in China, a country with 500m mobile phone users. And global packaging company DuPont is offering to print the codes on to its customers' products using ScanBuy's technology.

These more sophisticated versions of the traditional barcodes (universal product codes, or UPCs) used in retailing can be scanned by cameraphones and converted into text, images or video. They can simply contain information - up to 1MB in some cases - or act as web links, making the hitherto tricky process of surfing the net via mobile as easy as "point and click".

Barcelona-based Codilink is selling 20,000 2D barcode cinema tickets and discount vouchers a week, having licensed ScanBuy's technology. Codilink managing director Ben Chesser says: "Within one-and-a-half to two years, early adopters will be doing this regularly. It takes time to build awareness, but this technology is finally ready for take-off."

One drawback preventing widespread adoption has been the lack of standards in a fragmented and highly competitive mobile phone market. Few consumers have been bothered enough to download decoder software on to their phones.

The advantage of ScanBuy's proprietary software is that it can read any of the main barcode protocols, such as QR, mainly used in Japan; Data Matrix, mainly used in Europe; and EZcode, ScanBuy's code designed specifically for VGA cameraphones. And once more mobiles are shipped with decoder software built in, the mobile web will take a giant leap forward.

Forrester Research Acknowledges Physical World Connection

It's nice to see a Physical World Connection company, and the technology, being recognized by Forrester Reasearch

Forrester Research has a piece called "Mobile shopping looks to change retail self service"

"Mobile applications for search and comparison are emerging to aid shoppers and give them more control at the point of decision. SCANBUY , for example, enables shoppers to compare retail prices with online prices by taking a picture of the barcode or tapping the barcode number into a downloadable mobile application. The application then retrieves prices for the product from online comparison shopping engines. "

Great find by Multi Channel Shopping

Mobile Search Apps Threaten Brick And Mortar

SelfService.org lists a couple mobile related search sites, one a PWC application in a story called Mobile shopping looks to change retail self-service

Mobile-based product search threatens to turn brick-and-mortar stores into showrooms for Web-tailers such as Amazon.com and other lower-priced online pure plays as consumers compare prices while in-store.


GPShopper , which has more than 100,000 users through its mobile application, lets consumers search for products at local stores and compare prices and promotions.

NearbyNow , another local search-based application, gathers local inventory feeds from mall-based stores; when users search for specific products, the application sends back an SMS detailing which stores carry the product and whether it is in stock.

SCANBUY , for example, enables shoppers to compare retail prices with online prices by taking a picture of the barcode or tapping the barcode number into a downloadable mobile application. The application then retrieves prices for the product from online comparison shopping engines.

If you're a brick and mortar shop, what services should you offer to get the consumer to buy in the store?