Customers of Verizon Wireless, through an agreement with BarPoint.com (OTC BB:BPNT), will be able to access comparison shopping information and product reviews based on a product's Universal Product Code (UPC) right on their Web-enabled digital wireless phones. This is another move by Verizon Wireless to bring world-class Internet-based information and content to customers on their handsets.
BarPoint.com is a pioneer in the technology that enables consumers to access comprehensive information based on a unique product identifier like bar codes.
By June, Verizon Wireless' mobile Internet customers using Web-enabled digital phones will be able to access BarPoint.com's comprehensive database with the touch of a few keys to retrieve comparative pricing and detailed manufacturer information on millions of products, ranging from CDs and DVDs to computer hardware and software. By pre-configuring the BarPoint service on Web-enabled digital phones, Verizon Wireless and BarPoint will provide consumers relevant information on products prior to purchasing them, and the power to receive the best deal, regardless of whether they are purchasing items in the store or from an online retailer.
"This will provide our customers with the critical information they need, wirelessly, to make more informed purchases," said Debra Carroll, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. "Customers using our Web Access service will be able go to a major electronics store in search of the best deal on a computer, for example, go to the BarPoint.com menu option on their digital phone and find both product reviews and comparative pricing through various e-commerce sites and other resource sites."
According to BarPoint.com's CEO and President, John Macatee, Verizon Wireless customers will conduct their search by entering a product's unique 12 or 13-digit barcode number on their phone instead of searching by a keyword. This unique product identifier produces a much more exact search than using words and names and returns product-specific information, making it an ideal application for mobile devices that have limited screen size and memory.
Starting in the third quarter of this year, Verizon Wireless customers will also be able to execute wireless e-commerce purchases via the BarPoint.com site from their digital phone.
"Our Internet strategy is focused on giving our customers wireless access to the Web-based information they want, when they want it," said Carroll. "We want our customers to have fast and easy access to information and m-commerce from their digital handset, especially when it comes to e-shopping for the best deal."
Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless announced an agreement with E-TRADE to enable wireless Web-based investing coast-to-coast.
The BarPoint.com service makes searches for information simple and accurate. "If you search for a toaster, there are dozens of different brands and models, not to mention the cartoon entitled Brave Little Toaster," said Macatee. "But since each UPC code maps to just one product, searching with that number gets the exact result desired."
Analyst Andrew Cole of Renaissance Worldwide Inc. suggests wireless e-commerce will amount to as much as 45 percent of the total e-commerce market in 2004 (from 2/28/00 Wireless Week article titled "Making Money in M-Commerce -- Partnering, Platforms and Portals"). New York-based research group Jupiter Communications predicts the total wireless data subscriber base in the U.S. will exceed 100 million by 2003.
"These combined predictions make the market for wireless Internet access a compelling business prospect for Verizon Wireless," said Carroll. "We are intently focused on making the wireless phone more functional and valuable to our customers than ever before by combining our superior network with premier Internet content."
Verizon Wireless customers already use Web-enabled digital phones to surf the Web, and send and receive e-mail, get real-time stock market analysis and quotes, and set up customized personal Web pages. They also benefit from a wireless personal organizer and access to several leading content providers.
Try it for Yourself Using the Web
By entering or scanning in a product's unique barcode number, a consumer will find a wealth of product specific information. For example, to receive information on the album, Supernatural, by Santana, simply access BarPoint through its website (www.barpoint.com) or on your web-enabled mobile device, select the "Music" category and enter the UPC, i.e. 078221908023. This will return a page that includes detailed manufacturer contact and product information, competitive pricing from various sources and links that provide online purchasing capabilities.
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