Shelfbucks' Bluetooth-NFC Beacons Bring Discounts to Tarrytown Pharmacy's Shoppers

Tarrytown Pharmacy, located in Austin, Texas, has deployed a series of hybrid beacons combining Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID technologies to enable its customers to access coupons and promotional information regarding products via a simple tap of their mobile phones. The solution, provided by Austin technology startup Shelfbucks, consists of the beacons—with built-in battery-powered NFC transponders that make it possible to communicate with any smartphone featuring either NFC or BLE compatibility—as well as a Shelfbucks application downloaded to manage the collected data. By employing active RFID technology, Shelfbucks can extend the tag's read range to as much as 6 inches, versus a passive NFC tag, which typically offers a range of only a few centimeters. Tarrytown Pharmacy is currently evaluating the technology, which it installed last week.

Shelfbucks' Michael Scheschuk

Shelfbucks' solution enables customers to only receive the data they specifically want, by requiring that a phone be within 3 to 6 inches of a beacon before information can be transmitted to that phone. The Shelfbucks solution was specifically designed for such a short read range, in order to ensure that individuals do not receive a multitude of messages on their phones while walking around a store. The digital shopping technology firm opted to incorporate both BLE and NFC technology into its solution "to support the widest variety of phones," says Michael Scheschuk, Shelfbucks' products VP and COO, and subsequently reach the broadest variety of customers. Most new Android phones come with NFC readers, while Apple phones, which do not, offer BLE (iBeacon) functionality. Some Android models are also being marketed with BLE technology.

A user must first download a Shelfbucks app from iTunes or Google Play. This can be done at Tarrytown Pharmacy, by simply tapping a beacon and then following prompts on the phone. From that time forward, the user will need to have the app open in order for it to work. Once a customer has the app open, he or she can simply tap the phone against the beacons for any product lines of interest.

The pharmacy installed 20 Shelfbucks beacons on the shelves where goods are displayed, each corresponding to a specific type of product.