With so many possibilities Near Field communication provides - product authentication, registration, exclusive content to name a few - we list the top 10 applications to take your products and content to the next level.
March 23, 2020
Empowering products to tell their unique story is a simple but highly effective use of NFC aimed at educating customers on what makes a product special and why they should buy it. Story points can relay where and how an item was manufactured, the materials used and why they were chosen, whether the item is sustainably sourced, organic, or any other special processing. By providing this information to customers at the time of purchase, they can better understand the values a product provides, and how it benefits them. This all works to provide customers with a superior product and brand experience.
Embedding products with tutorials on how to get the most out of an item is a huge opportunity to provide customers with the information they need to achieve that better version of themselves. What’s more, by including videos within an experience, marketers can teach customers how to master complementary skills, further cementing the customer relationship. For example, an NFC-enabled makeup compact might teach a user not only how to best apply the product, but also how to use the product for event-specific looks, such as everyday wear or a night out on the town.
One of the best things about embedding NFC, is that it can be used as a new sales channel, empowering products to sell themselves. In this way, NFC helps drive additional revenue. For products that can be replenished, customers need only to tap the item to reorder a new shipment, much like an Amazon dash button. For items that aren’t necessarily replenishable, like a shirt or pair of pants, experiences can include complementary products that encourage customers to make additional purchases with a single tap.
For luxury items and other high value goods, counterfeits pose a real threat to a brand’s reputation and revenue. What is more, unsuspecting customers who end up buying counterfeits have a poor customer experience. Using NFC as an anti-counterfeiting measure helps mitigate these problems. With authentication, customers can tap an item to verify a product is genuine. It also acts as an insurance measure for brand reputation.
Product registration is extremely valuable because it allows brands to easily acquire customers. By making the product registration process interactive, customers are more likely to register their items, allowing brands to more easily acquire customers regardless of where the item was purchased. In return, marketers can provide customers with rewarding and valuable content.
Linked with product registration is feedback. Including a feedback form or short survey in a product experience allows marketers to glean what their customers think of products. These insights empower brands to improve product development and design in the future.
Utilizing NFC to embed exclusive content in products is a great way to entice customers to purchase them. By creating content that is only accessible to customers who’ve completed a purchase, the product inherently become more valuable. It enhances the experience of owning the item as it creates an exclusive community of loyal customers who get special access to not only the content embedded within, but say, events, which are only advertised to those with the product. This helps marketers cultivate a community of highly loyal customers.
With NFC, products can be transformed into a game, adding extra value to the item. Games can include challenges that unlock prizes such as discounts, access to exclusive events, and more. Adidas took this approach with their World Cup Official Match Ball. Games can also be scavenger hunt based, similar to what Jeff Staple did with his 20th Anniversary Pigeon keychain. Employing NFC for gamification fosters a greater sense of loyalty and connection between a brand and their customers.
An awesome NFC use case is check-in, whereby an enabled product can act as a virtual ticket to an event. Using NFC for check-ins eliminates the need for additional ticketing, and creates an experience around owning an item. The product becomes the customer's ticket and event staff can check in guests with just a tap.
As part of the NFC check-in use case, experiences for events can adapt to include relevant and useful information for the occasion. Content can include things like an event schedule, maps to different locations, nearby dining and activities to enjoy, a welcome video from the event organizer and more. This serves to elevate the customer experience and increase brand affinity.
Interested in improving your product experience? We are here to help.
Curious about NFC? check out The Complete Guide to NFC.
