2D/QR/Bar Codes

Aislebuyer. An app that “checks out” not “checks in” and let’s you skip the line.

Forget Check-Ins, AisleBuyer Is An LBS App That's All About The Check-Out While everyone has been focused on the “check-in,” a brand new LBS startup has its sights set on the “check-out” instead. AisleBuyer is combination LBS plus mobile commerce app that turns the entire retail experience — from receiving relevant offers upon entry to checking-out and paying for your items — completely interactive.

Here’s how it works: A consumer downloads the app and opens it up at their favorite store. They use the smartphone’s camera to scan the barcodes of items they want to purchase or simply research. Upon scanning, the app shows you comprehensive product information like pricing, customer reviews, etc., but more importantly, provides an opportunity for the retailer to insert personalized special offers and incentives based on what the user just scanned and other variables.

While shopping, just add the items you want to your cart and you can checkout directly from the app, with no standing in line necessary. It provides a unique comprehensive experience for the user, but also provides a powerful back-end platform for the retailer as well. AisleBuyer allows for the customization of offers including the ability to utilize the “Digital Circular and Dynamic Couponing System,” which allow retailers to personalize their promotions based on demographics, location, and shopping history.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one. In the meantime, AisleBuyer has offered up some interesting stats to justify its postion: the value of self-checkout transactions surpassed $775 billion in 2009 and is projected to grow to more than $1.6 trillion by 2013. Nearly 20% of all transactions are now self-checkout, according to the company.

AT&T Launches QR Code Scanning App for BlackBerry and Android

We’ve talked a lot about how QR codes are poised to take off in the mainstream and now AT&T is jumping on the bandwagon with a new set of tools for Android and BlackBerry phones.

The company has just announced its AT&T Code Scanner application and its AT&T Create-a-Code service. Code Scanner is a free app for BlackBerry and Android devices that scans both 2D (QR and datamatrix) and 1D (UPC and EAN) barcodes. You can get it from the BlackBerry App World or the Android Market or by going to http://scan.mobi/ on your mobile device.

The app works similarly to other barcode scanning apps like ShopSavvy or RedLaser, letting you focus in and scan a code at will.

However, the more interesting part of the app comes via the menu options, which includes a direct link to AT&T’s Create-a-Code site (accessible via desktop or mobile), where you can create a QR code for contacts or for a web page. You can sign up for a free account with AT&T and create up to five codes that will be set to last for one year. You can then download the QR codes in PNG or EPS formats.

From: Christina Warren

QR Code Tips

Tips and learnings
If you are considering doing a promotion with QR codes, here are some challenges, solutions, and key learnings we have found.

Tracking: Without requiring a proprietary reader app, you cannot directly track the number of people who scan a QR code, and you will need to pass the interaction through another layer.

Limited reach: While QR codes are becoming more popular, the majority of people do not know what they are, nor do they know how or if their phone can read them.

QR codes and mobile web pages: Although up to 4k of text can be encoded in a QR code, there are three key advantages to simply encoding a URL, and using the subsequent mobile web page to deliver content. The first reason is flexibility: QR codes are static, and once they are created, the encoded information cannot be changed.

The second reason is measurability: As mentioned, we cannot directly track scans of QR codes, but we can measure resultant page views.

The final reason is simplicity: While the QR format can support a fairly large block of content, the codes become more complex. This results in reduced readability, particularly for print applications and situations where lighting may be less than ideal.

In short, QR codes can be very powerful as an option, but are horrible as a requirement.

What if a whole building were mobile

What is a QR code and why should I care?

QRcode One of the things that makes mobile technology a bit unwieldy is the fact that it is actually made of many smaller technologies. Everything from applications to SMS messaging to the video players all seem to require some sort of proprietary technology. One of those micro-technologies is QR codes, short for Quick Response Codes. Originally used for tracking parts for vehicle manufacturing, QR codes offer an easy way to connect directly to a customized URL, image, music, whatever. You can print these codes on advertising, shirts, hats, even get temporary tattoos made.

There are many different apps that you can download to create and use QR codes such as http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ and once downloaded and installed, the app integrates directly with your camera. Overall, it’s pretty cool, although it requires some tech savvy to get up and running.

This problem will eventually be alleviated once the software ships standard with smart phones. But the convenience of QR codes still beats the current process of tapping in an actual URL. Also, within the next year, we should see the current QR code, which looks a bit clunky, replaced with little icons and images. After all, if there’s a branding opportunity to be had, marketing professionals will sniff it out.