Around the Net
Bookstores Experiment with Beacons
- Publishers Weekly, Tuesday, March 10, 2015 10:48 AM
Positioning-based in-store marketing is something more commonly found in Walmart and Apple stores than in bookstores. Using small, inexpensive, battery-powered beacons that rely on Bluetooth to transmit messages to smartphones, or LED lighting with location-based software that works much like beacons, large retailers and even sports arenas are marketing directly to customers when they walk in the door. Since the beginning of the year, several independent booksellers have begun experimenting with beacons or will soon participate in pilots. As one of eight stores testing Facebook’s Place Tips Service, Strand Book Store in New York City became one of the first bookstores to add beacons. The Facebook program—which is also being piloted at area landmarks like Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Times Square—went live on January 29. New York City iPhones users who have activated Bluetooth and have given Facebook permission to access their location can click on place tips in their Facebook News Feed (an Android version is coming soon); photos of friends and information about the store or site automatically show up on their screen.
