Consumers find products more easily when in a shop.
A consumer comes into a store is scans an RFID tag to turn their phone into a shopping assistant. They can now search for any product in the store and know exactly where it is, how much it costs, and any other information necessary to make a purchasing decision.
Comparison Shopping
Consumers use their mobile phone to access information about product characteristics and price for related products.
A consumer is in shop. She uses her mobile phone to access a web-based comparison shopping application. By scanning a bar code on a product, she is able to see the price of this product in different shops in her area. Having seen that the product is reasonably priced, she decided to buy it. Using a similar set-up, consumers could also access test results from consumer organizations or customer reviews.
Information and Extended Packaging
Consumers access additional information about products through their mobile phone.
A consumer is in foreigner country. He buys some medicine in a pharmacy, but wants to be sure he has understood the dosage instructions given by the pharmacist properly. He scans the bar code on the pack and finds is able to read the dosage instructions in his own language.
A consumer is worried about allergens in a product she has just bought. By scanning the bar code on product packaging, she is able to access a full range of product information including information about which allergens the product contains.
The same concept could be used to provide consumers with nutritional information as well as instructions related to product handling, warranty or recycling. A consumer could also check whether food was GM-free or Halal/Kosher certified.
Data-rich products
Consumers access information about products through their mobile phones.
A consumer buys a television. Full access to product instructions and guarantee are available using a mobile phone to scan an RFID tag embedded inside the product throughout its cycle.
Self-scanning
Consumers in the supermarkets use their mobile phone to scan products as they do their shopping
A consumer is in a shop. He uses his mobile phone to scan RFID tags placed on the shelf each time he takes product. When he has finished shopping, payment is automatically added to his mobile phone bill. By storing data from self-scanning, consumers could create a mobile shopping list which could then be shared with online shopping application.
Authentication
Mobile phones are used to check whether or not a product is genuine.
A consumer is watching television. She sees a news report about a counterfeit pharmaceutical product. Using her mobile phone, she scans a bar code on the product packaging. She connects automatically to an anti-counterfeiting application that checks the product’s authenticity and tells her that the product is genuine.
Payment
Mobile phones are able to make payment anywhere, anytime.
A consumer walks into a small shop to buy a newspaper. By moving her mobile phone close to a RFID-enabled device on the cash desk, payment is deducted from supply of electronic money stored on her mobile phone.
At a vending machine, a consumer can buy a canned drink by moving their phone close to a RFID-enabled phone reader. Payment is deducted from the person’s mobile phone bill. A consumer pays his bills by simply scanning the bar code on the bill and using his mobile phone to process payment.
Ticketing
Mobile phones are used to distribute and redeem tickets.
A concert-goer buys concert tickets online. When she pays she gives her credit card number. A unique bar code is sent by SMS to her mobile phone. She gains entry to the concert by showing the bar code to a reader at the entrance.
A traveler needs to take a metro train. He has bought an electronic ticket that has automatically credited ten journeys to his mobile phone. At the ticket barrier, he moves his mobile phone close to an RFID-reader which deducts one journey from his account as the gate opens.
Coupons
Mobile phones are used both to capture and redeem coupons and discounts.
A consumer sees an offer for a new product in a store. By scanning a bar code with her mobile phone, she is able to take the offer with her to the shop. At the cash-desk, she shows the bar code on mobile phone to the cashier. It is scanned at the same time as the rest of her shopping and the discount automatically calculated.
Loyalty Schemes
Mobile phones are used to send targeted promotional coupons.
A consumer sees an advertisement for a brand-loyalty scheme. She can accumulate points by scanning the bar codes on products that she has bought. When she has a certain number of points, she receives an SMS with discounts on further products.
Loyalty cards
Mobile phones replace physical loyalty cards.
Having signed up for a supermarket loyalty scheme, a unique bar code is sent to a consumer’s mobile phone. Whenever he shops at the same supermarket, he shows the bar code at the cash desk and accumulates points based on the total amount he has spent.
Recall
Mobile phones are used to access information about product recall easily.
A consumer is watching television. She sees a news report about a defective pharmaceutical product. Using her mobile phone, she scans the bar code on the product packaging. She connects automatically to an application that checks the products serial number and tells her that the product does not need to be recalled.
Interactive TV
TV viewers can interact with what’s happening on screen using their mobile phone.
A consumer watches a dating program on TV. Each of the potential dates is wearing a t-shirt with a bar code. Using her mobile phone to scan the bar code, she received extra information about the person and decides whether she is still interested.
A bar code runs under TV advertisement for a product on TV. By scanning the bar code the consumer can purchase the product using their preferred shipping and billing information that is preconfigured.
Catalogue shopping
Mobile phones are used to place order for products in a catalogue.
A consumer receives a catalogue by mail from a catalogue shopping company. Each product on sale is accompanied by a unique bar code. By scanning the bar codes, the consumer can buy products directly from the catalogue in a similar way to Amazon’s “1-Click” buying functionality. A consumer accesses a web-based catalogue on his mobile phone which he can browse and use to order products.
Trial of digital/non-digital media
Mobile phones are used to trial books, magazines, music and video.
A consumer moves their mobile phone close to the shelf with an advertisement for a new magazine. Their mobile phone reads and RFID tag on the shelf and downloads a preview of an article from the magazine. Using rich media techniques, the consumer could also have the impression of turning the magazines pages on their mobile phone as well as zooming into the article to read the text.
This concept could be extended to other types of media. For example, a kiosk in a music store could allow consumers to download a song extract or an intelligent movie poster could allow consumers to download a film trailer.
Personal Safety
Mobile phones are used to alert current location.
A person takes a taxi at night. By moving her RFID enabled phone close to a unique RFID tag placed in a taxi, she is able to automatically send her current location and her expected time of arrival to a friend by SMS.
Text to voice
Mobile phones translate text to voice for elderly or visually-impaired consumers.
By passing their mobile phone close to RFID tag, an elderly or visually impaired consumer can hear information about product or promotion.
