High-Tech Marketing Helps Consumers
One recent development is the use of quick response codes or QR codes. QR codes resemble a combination of bar codes you find on retail products and small mazes. These QR codes are placed on product packaging and signs near the product and are used to give consumers more information. Using their smartphones, potential customers can scan the QR codes. The smart phone then connects to a site on the web and gathers more details on the product. This not only gives the consumer more information about the product, but also allows for more marketing of the product by the seller. QR codes are quickly changing the way many people now shop.
Another high-tech consumer option is to join the online “coupon clubs” offered by many grocery stores. By signing up for a store’s online coupon site, members can log into their account and simply select which coupons they would like to use. These coupons are then added to the customer’s account electronically. The customer only needs to present their store savings card and the coupons are used electronically. Not only does this save on paper waste, but also saves the customer from having to fumble through a fistful of coupons while shopping.
Examples How Marketers Use High-tech Advances
High-tech strategies are also changing the way companies market and sell to the public. The same grocery store coupon club that offers savings and convenience to their members also presents an opportunity for the grocery store to increase their marketing efforts to shoppers. For example, the information about the coupons selected by a person are saved by the grocery store. This can allow them to create customized offers based on an individual’s buying habits. To get access to the coupon club, the consumer has to enter their e-mail address, giving the grocery store and inexpensive way to market to the club’s members repeatedly. Major online booksellers use a similar strategy and use the customers’ past purchases to offer new suggestions that may be of interest to increase sales.
Online Marketing Raises Privacy Concerns
While innovations in technology have aided marketing online, there are also serious issues about privacy. One concern is about how websites track visitors. Many of us have heard about cookies, which are little bits of info that can identify our computers. However an even bigger concern is type of cookie known as “super cookies”. These super cookies, also known as LSO or flash cookies, are much more powerful than the regular cookies of which we may be familiar. Super cookies are used to track advertisements that we’ve seen and display them on other sites we visit. They can almost seem as if you are being stalked by the same advertisement as you surf the web. Super cookies are larger than typical cookies and can store much more info about us. They also can not be deleted as easily as other cookies and take special action to get rid of them.
Technological advances in marketing can give consumers more information and better prices. It also can give marketers better insight into how their customers act and what they buy. However, the downside is to our privacy and how our actions and purchases are being stored and used to manipulate our purchases. The balance between benefits and privacy is something that will influence our lives for years to come.
About The Author
Jen Silva writes articles for Choosewhat.com on related topics such as advertising and marketing, business cards, and online faxing services. Visit ChooseWhat.com to find tools and resources for the small business owner.