Tag: qr codes

eBay continues to shine the limelight on mobile commerce

For several years, eBay has dominated the e-commerce scene, with only Amazon considered to be its most significant competitor. The online retailer has put a great deal of emphasis in improving the online shopping experience of consumers and has recently begun to embrace more commerce in an aggressive fashion. Indeed, eBay anticipates that mobile commerce will account for a significant portion of its sales in the coming years. This week, CEO John Donahoe outlined plans to take the company in a relatively new direction: Offline commerce.

Retailer aims to blur the lines between physical and digital commerce

Donahoe is eager to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds when it comes to commerce. This has been accomplished to some degree by eBay already through the adoption of mobile commerce. Consumers shopping for products from their mobile devices have shown how blurry the lines between physical and digital retail have become. This summer, eBay plans to partner with several retailers in order to make mobile commerce have an even more tangible presence in the real world.

Pop up shops gaining notice

According to Donahoe, eBay will be working to support “pop up” shops this year. The idea behind pop up shops is somewhat simple: A store front that can be located anywhere and sell products online to those using mobile devices. These shops are becoming more popular in the retail industry, especially when it comes to retailers trying to reach out to busy consumers. In 2011, UK retailer Tesco created a pop up shop in South Korea, where QR codes where used to sell products to consumers using public transit. eBay has plans to follow in Tesco’s footsteps to some degree.

New York may soon have new pop up shops

The online retailer will be leveraging the power of QR codes in order to sell products. These codes can be scanned by a mobile device to initiate a mobile transaction. The products are then delivered to a consumer’s home or elsewhere as defined by the customer. PayPal and eBay already have strong ties to several physical retailers and expect that this initiative will be well received. The retailer plans to launch this new initiative this year in New York.

Nationwide Platforms, a rental company, has added the quick response barcodes for use by smartphone owners.

The rental company, Nationwide Platforms, has just announced that it has affixed QR codes to its equipment in order to make it easier for smartphone users to be able to lower the risk of emergency situations.

Though print documentation is already available, the barcodes are used to provide this and additional information.

QR codes were selected because they are now recognized by many people, and because the majority of individuals have a smartphone or tablet that is able to scan these barcodes in order to obtain the related info. Most of the fleet at Nationwide Platforms has already been fitted with its stickers, which provide a direct link to guidance to lower emergencies.

The QR codes are customized for each distinct equipment model or group of models across the United Kingdom.

Nearly all of the fleet’s units will have QR codes affixed to them by the end of the year, according to the plans of the program. This includes those that the business will purchase throughout 2013. The barcodes will be printed on stickers that are fitted directly onto the base of the machine.

Beyond using the QR codes as a type of practical tool, the company is hoping that this effort will also have a broader impact that will help to better the awareness surrounding the importance of becoming familiar with the safety procedures associated with the equipment.

Mark Keily, the QHSE director, stated that “Improving the way we manage welfare and wellbeing means improving the way we engage with all of those who come into contact with our products or services. With that in mind, we’re proud to have harnessed the power of technology to give our customers even more opportunities to get the guidance which could truly make a difference in an emergency situation.”

Similarly, Peter Douglas, the operations director, added to that statement, saying that using powered access is being increasingly recognized as among the most effective and safe techniques for functioning with the greatest levels worldwide. He said that as the market leader in the United Kingdom, it has become their purpose to add to and achieve greater safety accomplishments, be that through “innovation, investment, or simply taking the lead in making a difference.” QR codes fit into this strategy quite smoothly.