Why Scannable Shelf Tags Could Improve the Retail Experience After Beacons Failed

Once upon a time, beacons—Bluetooth-powered devices that can push messages to smartphones—offered brands an opportunity to connect with consumers in physical retail locations and gather data about them. But retailers disliked beacons from an operational perspective, as products aren’t always locked into the same location in the story. Scannable shelf tags could be the answer to beacons’ problems, providing brands with the in-store interactions with customers that they desire, but it will be up to the consumer to choose when they hear from brands. According to White, the widespread availability of near-field communication (NFC) chips in mobile phones, NFC-enabled shelf tags—scannable, high-tech versions of traditional shelf tags can provide shoppers access to additional information.