Near field communication use in retail stores: effects on the customer shopping process

Abstract

This paper explores NFC based applications adequate for the use in retail stores and analyses the influence that these could have on the prevailing customer shopping process. It emphasizes the fact that NFC could provide shoppers with more benefits beyond faster payments. On the one hand, NFC based rebate coupons and loyalty cards could further accelerate the check-out process. On the other hand, NFC devices could be used to support customers with more information on available products. This could also reduce the customers' need for store personnel assistance. The paper concludes that NFC would not fundamentally change the customer shopping process but merely support it. This research was partially funded by the European Union through the FP6 project StoLPaN.