We have talked about our QR Code program before, but I thought it was worth a second post. The adoption of two-dimensional barcodes in marketing and advertising has been hampered by proprietary standards. Too many companies have spent too much time attempting to monetize a very simple, but powerful feature. Ironically, there has always been an alternative, open standard called a Quick Response or QR Code. Anyone can generate a two-dimensional QR Code pointing to any website for free. Additionally, millions of mobile phone users already have QR Code capable readers like ShopSavvy®.
The biggest problem with QR Codes is that American consumers don’t know what a 2D barcode is. They need some help understanding how to react to a QR Code printed on a billboard or in a magazine advertisement. Our ‘Scan with ShopSavvy’ program was designed to solve this problem. Millions of ShopSavvy users already use the application to scan 1D barcodes, but many of them have no idea that ShopSavvy will scan open standard 2D barcodes (i.e. QR Code), but they do understand the concept of scanning.
Our ‘Scan with ShopSavvy’ program allows brands to leverage our ‘trained’ user base by including our ‘Scan with ShopSavvy’ badge anywhere they print a 2D barcode. Consumers can use ANY QR-capable scanner (50+ today), but the program attempts to short circuit the call to action by showing the user he can use an application he already has on his smartphone.
The program is free for almost all brands. Our goal is to promote QR Codes, ShopSavvy and build great relationships with brands. Interested? Brands simply need to email sales@biggu.com and explain the planned usage of our badge prior to use. Permission will be granted to almost all brands. Camera-ready art of the badge is available for download:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/109866/scanwithshopsavvy.zip
Basic tracking is included for FREE as part of the QR code generator and includes:
- Total click tracking
- Click tracking (today, past week, past month, total)
- Referrer tracking (today, past week, past month, total)
- Location tracking (today, past week, past month, total)
- Conversation tracking (number of tweets, shares, comments)
Enhanced programs area available including geo-targeted content. Use the consumers location as a trigger for alternative content. Show a user in a specific store or city a different experience. Please contact our sales department for more information.
Posted by amuse | February 15, 2010 - 2:11pm | 2 Comments
Category: QR Code, ShopSavvy (Android), ShopSavvy (iPhone)
ShopSavvy is current available on Android (Droid, Hero, Nexus, Eris, G1, MyTouch) and iPhone 3GS. We are currently working on versions for:
- Android (Tattoo, Lancaster – i.e. non-AF cameras) – April 2010
- iPhone (2G/3G – i.e. non-AF cameras) – March 2010
- Windows Mobile – May 2010
- Blackberry – May 2010
- PalmOS – June 2010
Based on our current workload and staff these dates seem reasonable. Of course, our iPhone version took us almost three months longer than we expected (and we still don’t have the 2G/3G working well). We get LOTS of emails each day, hopefully this update will help.
Posted by amuse | February 4, 2010 - 4:33pm | 16 Comments
Category: Android, ShopSavvy (Android), ShopSavvy (Pre), ShopSavvy (Touch), ShopSavvy (Windows Mobile), ShopSavvy (iPhone), ShopSavvy RIM
We just released version 1.3 of ShopSavvy for the iPhone and it seems to be working for almost everyone. We have several test phones – 2G, 3G and 3GS. We even have 3GS phones running OS 3.0. In each case we have tested ShopSavvy over the past week without any sort of crash. However, almost everytime we update the app someone finds a crash. If the crash is obvious (as it was in 1.1) we don’t really need much help – just a release to the iTunes store (i.e. it take about a week). If the crash is NOT obvious (i.e. we can duplicate it) we need help. There is a way you can help if you are seeing a crash in 1.3 (or higher). Just send us the crash report. Aleksandar Vacić wrote a great instructional post on how to get the report for those of you who don’t know how to extract the report. Read it here. Email results to support@biggu.com
I think we are now on our 3.6 version of ShopSavvy for Android and it seems as though about 1% of users have the ‘force close’ issue. For most a simple uninstall, reinstall and reboot solves everything. For some of you this doesn’t work. Again, we have never been able to repeat this force close issue (and we have a LOT of Android phones). If you can go to the Android market and download the Log Collector App and then run ShopSavvy the app will collect the crash report. Get ShopSavvy to crash a couple of times and then open the Log Collector App and email the results to support@biggu.com.
In both cases users that send us a crash report with a ShopSavvy issue will get a ShopSavvy t-shirt and associated schwag. Just send us your address and shirt size.
Posted by amuse | January 31, 2010 - 9:49am | No Comments
Category: ShopSavvy (Android), ShopSavvy (iPhone)
Earlier today we announced that ShopSavvy would be one of the first iPhone applications available on Apple’s new iPad. The native version of ShopSavvy for the iPad will allow users to interact with ShopSavvy through the tablet directly (i.e. manual entry of title, upc or part number) or in concert with the iPhone or Android version of ShopSavvy. ShopSavvy offers one of the most complete catalogs of local and online sources for products and the iPad enables us to share more than just price and availability with users. ShopSavvy for the iPad is more of a product dashboard – sure you will still find the best online and local prices for products, but on the same screen users will find:
- product reviews
- product videos
- wishlists
- price alerts
- side-by-side product comparison
- product news
- maps and store contact details
This rich experience isn’t possible on the small screen size found on the iPhone and Android smartphones – but fits easily on Apple’s new iPad. While the iPad doesn’t come with a built-in camera, it does have a slot that can be used for an aftermarket web camera that ShopSavvy can exploit for scanning barcodes. While running ShopSavvy the iPad treats the user’s iPhone or Android device as a barcode scanning peripheral. Fire up ShopSavvy on your iPhone (or any smartphone running ShopSavvy), scan a barcode and the results show up on your iPad. Users can now use ShopSavvy as a tool for compiling lists of products including: groceries – i.e. to build a grocery list, books – i.e. to build an index of books, dvds – i.e. to build an index of your dvds and so on.
Here is the full release:
Big in Japan, a Dallas-based idea factory for mobile applications, announced today that it will release a native version of ShopSavvy for the Apple iPad. The iPad version of ShopSavvy will retain all the features the application’s millions of users have grown to love, while incorporating new functionality to enhance the shopping experience.
ShopSavvy is a barcode-scanning mobile application that enables users to comparison shop on the go.
“The iPad enables ShopSavvy to really spread its wings as an application for users who want the power, ease of use and size of this touchscreen tablet,” said Alexander Muse, co-founder of Big in Japan. “After downloading ShopSavvy for iPad, we anticipate that many cost-conscious consumers will carry the tablet with them as a constant shopping companion.”
ShopSavvy for iPad will extend the application’s price-comparison focus with new capabilities, including video product reviews, side-by-side comparisons of scanned products, in-depth product information and other features, the company said.
Big in Japan also said that it has added the iPad as a prize option (in addition to the Google Nexus One) in the recently announced ShopSavvy video testimonial contest.
Ranking as one of the most popular apps on Android phones since its launch in September 2008, ShopSavvy became available on the iPhone in November 2009. More than 1 million ShopSavvy users scanned more than 18 million products on Black Friday weekend alone, Nov. 27-29, 2009.
ShopSavvy enables users to comparison shop on the go for more than 20 million products at more than 20,000 retailers worldwide, simply by scanning the product’s barcode using the phone’s built-in camera. Using the barcode information, ShopSavvy searches the Web for the best prices on the product, displaying the lowest prices online as well as at nearby brick-and-mortar retailers. ShopSavvy looks up product reviews to further assist with purchase decisions.
Mobile users may download ShopSavvy at one of the following links:
ShopSavvy for iPhone: bit.ly/shopsavvyiphone
ShopSavvy for Android: bit.ly/shopsavvyandroid
Posted by amuse | January 27, 2010 - 5:03pm | 6 Comments
Category: ShopSavvy (Android), ShopSavvy (iPhone)
Do you have a story about ShopSavvy saved you money? We are giving away an unlocked Google Nexus to someone with the best ShopSavvy story.
- record a short video telling your story (2 minute max)
- make sure you show your phone running ShopSavvy at some point
- you need to be in the video (no actors)
- give us the details (your location, the store, the product, the savings)
- include your name, address and shirt size in your email)
- email to sales@biggu.com
We will select the winner from the first 100 entries (the 101st and greater entries won’t be eligible for the Nexus, but will get the schwag as supplies last). For sending us your ShopSavvy story on video we will send you a bag of ShopSavvy schwag (i.e. t-shirt, stickers and other stuff).
Posted by amuse | January 24, 2010 - 12:02pm | 10 Comments
Category: ShopSavvy (Android), ShopSavvy (iPhone)
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