NEW YORK -- Two 7-Eleven stores in the New York City area are currently testing a mobile-phone check-in kiosk that will allow customers to download coupons and in-store specials to their handheld devices.
Software designer Solekai Systems Corp. and mobile solutions startup Raging Mobile have developed the prototype and will be looking to ramp up distribution to a wide range of retail and retail-channel partners, according to a report by consumer electronics publication Twice.
The compact check-in kiosk was developed to be placed on a countertop or freestanding pedestal to encourage consumers to check-in upon arrival in a store by quickly placing their phone into the kiosk to receive coupons and loyalty deals on the phone's screen.
The market-demonstration kiosks currently operate on "near-field communication" (NFC) technology, using a reader built into the base of the kiosk to communicate with NFC sticker-equipped mobile phones, said the report.
Solekai officials told Twice that they developed the Android-based software to facilitate this communication and respond appropriately to each consumer's phone, whether to transmit coupons to returning customers or to provide on-the-spot registration to newcomers.
Later versions of the kiosk will incorporate both "femtocell" and NFC technology to accommodate existing non-NFC phones as well as newer phones with built-in NFC capabilities, Raging Mobile officials told the publication.
Aside from the software, Solekai also developed the user interface, oversaw the industrial design of the kiosk and provided marketing and customer-care insights.
The companies said they hope the prototype will lead to the creation of "a more fluid and interactive shopping experience, beginning a new form of communication between the retailer and customers." The goal is to deliver special deals and promotions to the shoppers, thereby "increasing customer knowledge, influencing shopping behavior and building loyalty for the retailer."
New York City-based Raging Mobile is a mobile-solutions startup that ties the shopping experience with mobile phones and social networks.
San Diego-based Solekai Systems is a software engineering services and solutions company specializing in design, development, integration and testing for digital video and smart grid industries. Services include specification and requirements development, software architecture, design and development, user interface design and development, system integration and test procedure design, development and execution.
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