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Mobile Loyalty Cards - Why Not?

Sorry for making two posts at the same time. I just wanted to tell you all about my recent experience with mobile loyalty cards.
Many of us have a store loyalty card, perhaps Tesco Clubcard, Boots Advantage Card or a Nectar card. How many times have you rolled up at the checkout to be asked if you've got your loyalty card and you either left it at home, the wife/husband has it, you lost it or you just can't be bothered to search through your wallet or purse for it. So you apologise politely as only the British do for something that's not actually our fault, and miss out on some loyalty points.
I bet at that point in time you had your mobile phone on you and knew exactly where it was. So wouldn't it be great if you could have just presented your phone to the cashier and she/he have swiped it. Why can't we put our loyalty cards on our phones? After all in their current plastic form they contain very little information, just an identifying unique customer number really...

Well, I was talking to some contacts at Mobilize Systems (http://www.mobilizesystems.com/) who have done just that. It was really quite simple. They took my Tesco Clubcard Membership number, used a simple app (you can get these for free from download sites) that creates a graphical barcode from any number, uploaded it to my phone and I suddenly had my Clubcard on my phone.


Ignore the funny white lines and blocks, I've blanked out my actual number for privacy.

I tried this out the other day in a local Tesco. At the checkout (providing it has a customer facing scanner) you wave your Clubcard under the laser beam of the scanner so instead of waving my card I stuck my mobile under it and heard the satisfying "beep" as my barcode was read and recognised.

This is just a simple example of mobilising every day transactions to make our lives simpler and move us closer towards a mobile commerce culture... I can't wait for the day that I can throw out my bulky wallet and free up my pockets for more important things, like my hands...

Try mobilizing your own Clubcard here: http://www.id2fone.com/clubcard/get.htm

Quick Update: It works with my Suffolk Library Card as well. No need to take my wallet and phone when I go there now... Life will be so uncomplicated and uncluttered soon!









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Comments

Alex Eachus, Mobiqa said…
However, the issue is that most scanners employed by high street retailers are laser-based, such as the LS4208, and these are very hit and miss with mobile phone screens (reflection issues): some phones scan okay, such as the iPhone, but the majority do not.

Imager-based scanners, such as the DS6700, are much, much better with mobile phone screens.

I only know of Tesco, Sainsbury's, River Island and Halfords that employ imager-based scanners (normally the DS6700) at the POS, currently.
9 November 2009 at 17:04
Simon - Innovativo said…
Alex, thanks for the input. I agree, although screen technology is improving all the time, there are still a large number of older or cheaper screen types out there. Which is why it is key to have alternative input methods available, including manual code entry - clunky but it works. I truely believe NFC is the real answer, but I can't see there being sufficient numbers of NFC phones in circulation for at least another couple of years. Needs a big compelling event to fire the MNO's and manufacturers into action in including NFC chips as standard on subsidised phones.
10 November 2009 at 08:09
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