Mobile promotion innovation with scannable coupons

June 22nd, 2009

The frontiers of mobile payment and promotion continue to expand. As examples, see this piece about a new study showing that many consumers with web-enabled cell phones have an interest in scannable mobile coupons. Digital coupons are sent to cell phones upon consumer request and redeemed by a retail cashier that scans the cell phone display screen, which holds product unique barcode information. Since this concept can easily be married to true mobile payment it’s easy to see how creative marketers can be. Another innovative promotion: HarperCollins is using bar codes on the back of book jackets, to enable consumers to scan them with mobile device cameras and connect directly to supplementary Internet content about the book they’ve just bought, including video interviews with the authors.