Buy groceries at bus stop by scanning the QR codes? WOW

Some of the smart phone apps are helping people with daily payments and transactions effectively and efficiently. We talked about the apps and the potential benefits brought by apps in the previous posts. I have to admit that in the ICT world, I am totally not a radical pioneer who is proficient in all kinds of apps that might make my life easier, but I do recall the first time I used an app called 'Scan' and I 'WOWed' excitedly. The past February, I participated in 2012 Social Enterprise Conference held by Wharton Business School  in Philadelphia. After scanning the QR code provided, the entire schedule and agenda for the conference, the bios for the panelists, the time and room to go at different time, and some other customized information just show up on my iPhone within seconds. At that time, I was wondering is it currently applicable or would that be able to purchase goods by simply SCANNING that MOSIAC in the near future?

The QR code is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that might look like badly laid mosaics. Smart-phone users take photos of them and then they are decoded in seconds and their secrets revealed. An article by AOL that came out on May.4th, regarding the rapid development of the Quick Response (QR) codes, caught my eyes. The article said that Tesco has achieved great success by putting up posters of its goods in the underground stations and displaying them much like they do in store. For example, each image of a cling-filmed rump steak or tin of sardines has a related QR code, which can be scanned in and the goods can be ordered for delivery while people are waiting for the trains. In the context of hard-working South Koreans, the technology seems perfect because people there perhaps understand better than most that time is money.

Not only Tesco, but other big E-commerce players, credit card companies and even small technology companies are eager to divide up the benefit pie brought by the application of smart phone apps and QR codes in mobile payments.

PayPal- QR code mobile shopping in Singapore

Singapore is known as a smart phone-crazy country and was chosen by PayPal to conduct an interesting trial which allows the phone owners to buy goods on the go using a QR code reader application. According to the AllThings report, this experiment is taking place at 15 stations on the country’s metro system (SMRT) where the eBay-owned payment company is showcasing gifts from eight retailers at reduced prices for Valentine’s Day. Smart phone owners should first download the PayPal QR code reader, functioning for scanning products. Once the products are scanned, items can be purchased by logging into PayPal or by providing credit cards details.

Here is a clip regarding the QR code mobile shopping in Singapore!

MasterCard- QkR mobile payment app

When Visa and American Express are moving forward with their own wallet apps, MasterCard is rolling out the first trial of its QkR mobile application, a mobile payment app that allows people to interact and initiate payments via QR codes, NFC tags and other technologies.

The QkR app is available on both iPhone and Android. The QkR app can work for businesses and restaurants, allowing consumers to grab discounts or menus with a scan or tap, and help them check-out right through the app, which would help to raise the efficiency of the services and business. Meanwhile, MasterCard is also looking to leverage mobile apps, the NFC technology and QR codes to build up a payment system that can work in a variety of settings.


Here is a clip regarding the MasterCard QkR mobile payment app.

Probably in the near future, these MOSIACS would entirely change the way that people make transactions and accomplish purchases but we still don't know yet. With the rapid development of ICT, our life quality and efficiency have been improved but meanwhile, we still have  take the potential risks regarding information security and privacy invasion brought along with technology. Hopefully we won't get ourselves exposed too much by incorporating advanced ICT.

Reference:

1. QR codes: we'll soon be buying our groceries at the bus stop. Retrieved by: http://money.aol.co.uk/2012/05/04/qr-codes-well-soon-be-buying-our-groceries-at-the-bus-stop/?icid=money%7CDL_1_link

2. PayPal trials QR code mobile shopping on Singapore’s metro service. Retrieved by: http://thenextweb.com/asia/2012/02/10/paypal-trials-qr-code-mobile-shopping-on-singapores-metro-service/

3. MasterCard starts piloting QkR mobile payment app. Retrieved by: http://gigaom.com/2012/01/26/mastercard-starts-piloting-qkr-mobile-payment-app/