Comparison Shop With Your Smartphone Camera
I read an article today about Scanbuy, a company with the Scanlife application for newer smartphone models that allows the user to take a picture of 1-D bar codes, those most commonly used on consumer goods, and 2-D bar codes, a technology Scanbuy developed, to retrieve product, cost and other information.
As I don’t yet have one of the newer smartphone models, I wonder how this is catching on amongst those who do? I’m not sure I would be one to stand around a grocery store for hours snapping labels, but hey, whatever floats your boat. However, it seems companies are betting big on this becoming a normal part of people’s shopping habits. Last year, DuPont teamed with Scanbuy to put the new 2-D bar codes on their customers’ packaging “to automatically display a specific mobile website and launch video clips–users can then view and share that information via social networking communities.” Isn’t DuPont the company that manufacturers nonstick pots and pans? So I’m going to stand in a store watching videos about say, the origins of my frying pan, and share that with my friends? Maybe I’m a bit old school, but this whole idea seems a bit like the cue cat. Motorola recently got in the Scanbuy game, investing an undisclosed sum, and Sprint is now pre-loading it on phones.
I think what concerns me most is in their recent press release it states, “From there, Scanbuy servers query the databases of a number of retail organizations with which it has partnered, including Amazon.com Inc. and Shopping.com, gathering product and price information and returning it to a screen in the app.” So the results you’re getting aren’t unbiased information.
Taking a look at their website, a marketer can register for a business account and try it free for 30 days. There is no upfront cost information to share with you. Please, go do it and report back to me your experience! Inquiring minds want to know! I also see that you can get a free ‘personal’ account to create 2-D bar codes for your blog to put on your “business cards, t-shirts, email.” Great! I’ll make a t-shirt and you can scan my chest to get to my blog. Weird or a fashion statement?!
Perhaps one day Scanlife will be ubiquitous and it won’t seem so bizarre. I’d like to hear from any readers that use it, how it is changing their life? On that note, I’ll leave you with this explanation video…have a great week!
No related posts.
Interesting concept and one which will be flushed out by the ‘early adopters’ of technology so they can tell us about how best to use it. Can’t wait.
As far as the T-shirt concept and scan effort, I’m grateful for finally providing a legitimate reason “to look” – but my wife may still take some convincing, “But honey, I was only scanning her blog information”. Fat chance but it’s worth a shot.
LOL LamaDogg!
Interestingly, there’s an article in today’s AdAge related to this topic (read it before it goes into their paid archives!)
An App for That, Too: How Mobile Is Changing Shopping
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=142318
Hi,
Thanks for writing about this – little by little the US is getting turned on to this technology that has been in wide use in Japan in years. I believe the original 2D code is the QR (“Quick Response”) code developed by the Japanese company Denso-Wave. ScanBuy is doing a lot of innovative programs such as an article in the march Esquire magazine, but they are a proprietary code, an alternative to that is using one of several common open-source (FREE and unfettered by business relationships) 2D code formats including QR and DataMatrix codes. There are numerous websites that offer free personalized codes.
You can find more info including videos and a free code generator at 2DCodeMe.com, as well as links to making personalized t-shirts, shoes, store window decals – whether it’s a fashion statement or just plain promotional message. I think it’s cool to link to your t-shirt to your blog, or your facebook page, or anything online.
Regards, Anne
I just came across another interesting take on this same idea.
http://creativity-online.com/news/stickybits-stickybits/142743
Stickybits allow you to add digital attachments to real world objects. Place one of the app’s barcode stickers to any physical object and attach any digital content via your iPhone or Android device.
Smartphone users can then scan the stickers to view the files, which they, or the original poster can update with new content. The Stickybits site suggests several uses, like attaching resumes to business cards or video to snail mail greetings and tracking inventory of boxes.
Wow, they really do expect you to snap photos of labels to learn the origins of your frying pan (amongst other things)!
Code Read
http://bit.ly/cGrLhy
Consumers who…scan a Lay’s bag of potato chips, for instance, can learn about the brand’s partnering with local farmers.