New smartphone app allows shoppers to scan and pay for goods

English: Version 1 QR code example (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Researchers have developed a new smartphone app that allows you to scan and pay for goods with your phone, without having to unload the trolley.
Sainsbury's supermarket in London is currently testing the new Scan and Go app that allows users to bag their shopping up as they walk around the store and pay for them at a self-checkout counter without having to unload.
Customers scan the a Quick Response or QR codes on packaging or on the shelf next to the pricing information using their mobile phone camera, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

The innovative programme even directs customers around the store according to the items on their shopping list potentially saving even more time. Loose items like fruit and vegetables are weighed on scales, and a QR code is printed out which can be scanned by the app.
A learning function monitors spending habits and flashes up special offers depending on the shopper's whereabouts in the the store.
Critics suggest the system will enable supermarkets to cut back on staff and effectively spy on their customers by monitoring their spending habits.

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Smartphone Program Lets Consumers Check Gas Station History

Image via WikipediaNext time you fill up the tank, a new decal on the pump can help smartphone uses find out if the gas station has history of short-changing customers.
With gas prices around $3.50, Rene Pryor hopes she's getting what she pays for.
"Sometimes I wonder if they are really calibrated right.," she said Friday while waiting in line to fill up on the south side.
The Texas Department of Agriculture checks gas pumps, but has now accelerated efforts to assure consumers are getting the quantity and quality of fuel they are paying for. Consumer information stickers are now required on every Texas pump. The decals display a URL to the state's new website.
Using a smartphone, motorists can go to that website and instantly see if the station is registered, check the station's compliance history and make a complaint.
"We use smartphones to email, take photos, send tweets, and now consumers can use them to file complaints directly with the Texas Department of Agriculture if they suspect they aren't getting what they paid for at the pump," said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples said.
As part of a test program, the decals at HEB pumps will also include QR (quick read) codes. Consumers can scan the code with their smartphone and will be connected to the website.
Drivers fueling up Friday morning liked the new program.
"People need to know what's going on," said Suzie Rocamontes.The state is also increasing fines for cheating customers at the pump.
As for the other signs on gas pumps that tell consumers not to use a cell phone while fueling, HEB and other retailers advise drivers to use the new smartphone program either before or after fueling.

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Grocery shopping via smartphone on South Korean subways

We’ve seen numerous innovations designed to make the chore of grocery shopping less painful for consumers, with Indian AaramShop’s use of Facebook being one recent example. Hoping to raise the level of convenience for time-strapped commuters in South Korea, Home plus — the Korean branch of Tesco PLC — recently launched a series of virtual stores on subway platforms, enabling customers to make purchases using their smartphones while they wait for a train.
The virtual stores, constructed from large backlit billboards, displayed images of all the items one would expect to find in a standard Home plus shop. QR codes were then placed next to the image of each product, enabling smartphone equipped commuters to automatically add the merchandise to their virtual basket by scanning the code. The total order was then delivered to the commuter’s door once they returned home from work. During the campaign Home plus online sales increased by 130%, with over 10,000 customers trying the stores. A video below explains the premise in more detail:

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