Mobile Barcode Scanning

Mobile-Activated and Mobile-Displayed Solutions in Business-to-Consumer Environments

Research Report

Millions of consumers are scanning one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) barcodes using their smartphones cameras, or displaying barcodes on their mobile phone/device screens at the point of sale (POS), point of purchase (POP), point of decision (POD), point of entry (POE) or point of transaction (POT). From 1D barcodes (including traditional UPC, EAN and linear barcodes found on most packaging -- notably consumer -- goods, on loyalty cards or on gift cards) to "newer" 2D barcode/symbology formats such as QR Code, Microsoft Tag, Aztec Code, Data Matrix, EZcode and several others, the applications and use cases for mobile barcode scanning are truly limitless. Increasingly, 2D barcodes seem to be everywhere in Japan, the United States and across the world.

This Research Report focuses on the high-level technology considerations, market trends, application examples, market dynamics and consumer adoption trends tied to mobile barcode scanning. The scope of this research does not include the assessment, evaluation or analysis of current mobile marketing strategies tied to mobile barcode scanning, SMS (text messages), ad revenue, Internet searches/ or site access.

Table of Contents

  • 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
  • 2. OVERALL MARKET
    • 2.1. Defining Mobile Barcode Scanning
    • 2.2. "With Device" vs. "On Device" Mobile Barcode Scanning
    • 2.3. Smartphones Today, Tablets Tomorrow?
    • 2.4. Mobile Marketing Strategies Are Important But Not the Focus Here
    • 2.5. But, Here Is the Main Message for Mobile Barcode Scanning Campaigns
    • 2.6. Key Questions and Takeaways
    • 2.7. Mobile Shopping, Transactions, Payment, and NFC
  • 3. MOBILE BARCODE SCANNING BASICS AND KEY ISSUES
    • 3.1. Introduction
    • 3.2. Linear (1D) Barcodes Remain Important
    • 3.3. 2D Barcodes 101
    • 3.4. Code Red for 2D Barcode Battle: Proprietary vs. Open Codes
    • 3.5. Open Codes: QR Code, DataMatrix, Aztec Code and Others
    • 3.6. Proprietary Codes: Microsoft Tag, EZcode, and Others
    • 3.7. Co-existence for Now
    • 3.8. Japan Eliminated this Debate with its Top-Down Market Penetration
    • 3.9. Specific Types of 2D Codes/Symbologies
  • 4. THREE KEYS: SMARTPHONES, SOFTWARE, AND SUCCESSFUL SCANS
    • 4.1. Introduction
    • 4.2. Getting Smartphones in the Hands of Consumers
    • 4.3. Global and Regional Smartphone Shipments: 2008 to 2016
    • 4.4. Global Smartphone Shipments by Vendor Share and Operating System
    • 4.5. Global Smartphone Capabilities/Feature Attach Rates
    • 4.6. Mobile Internet Users (Monthly Subscribers)
    • 4.7. Metric 2: Decoding Software and Application Downloads
    • 4.8. Example Downloadable Reader/Decoder Apps
    • 4.9. Example m-loyalty and m-gift card Downloadable Apps
    • 4.10. Pre-installing vs. Downloading
    • 4.11. Metric 3: Getting Consumers to Scan or Present Mobile Codes (Again and Again)
    • 4.12. Metric 4: Enable Enterprises with 2D Imagers for ODMBS Applications
    • 4.13. Target Takes Aim at Retail ODMBS Application Leadership
    • 4.14. Target Gift Card (and Starbucks Mobile Card) Redemption Using Mobile Phones
    • 4.15. Target's Mobile 2D Barcode Couponing Program
    • 4.16. An Installed Base of Imagers will Enable Retailers and Non-Retailers for ODMBS
  • 5. MOBILE BARCODE SCANNING APPLICATIONS AND ADOPTION TRENDS
    • 5.1. Too Many WDMBS and ODMBS Applications and Use Cases to Name
    • 5.2. ABI's US Smartphone Consumer Mobile Barcode Scanning Research Findings
    • 5.3. US Consumer Awareness of Mobile Barcode Scanning
    • 5.4. US Consumer Interest in Mobile Barcode Scanning
    • 5.5. Level of Interest in Select Mobile Barcode Scanning Applications/Use Cases
    • 5.6. Frequency of Mobile Barcode Scanning
    • 5.7. Source/Method of Securing Mobile Barcode Scanning Decoder/Reader Software or Application
    • 5.8. What is Being Scanned by Consumers?
    • 5.9. Reasons for Lack of Interest
  • 6. MOBILE SCANNING VALUE CHAIN
    • 6.1. Current Value Chain Dynamic is Anything but Linear
    • 6.2. Value Chain Challenges
    • 6.3. ABI Research's Keys for Mobile Barcode Scanning Success
  • 7. COMPANY DIRECTORY
  • 8. ACRONYMS
    • 8.1. Sources and Methodology
    • 8.2. Notes
  • Getting Smartphones into Consumers' Hands is Step One
  • Consumer Awareness of Mobile Barcode Scanning
  • US Consumers: Mobile Scanning Apps of Interest
  • Mobile Barcode Scanning: It's an Application Invasion!
  • Key Challenges Today
  • Mobile Barcode Scanning Value Chain: Anything But Linear
  • Value Chain Challenges
  • ABI Research's Keys for Mobile Scanning Success

Tables

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  1. Types of 2D Codes/Symbologies with Descriptions, Examples of Open and Proprietary 2D Codes/Symbologies
  2. Global Smartphone Shipments with US Shipments and Share, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  3. Global Smartphone Shipments by Regional Market and Regional Share, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  4. Global Smartphone Shipments by Vendor, Global Market, Vendor Market Share: 2008 to 2010
  5. Global Smartphone Shipments by Operating System, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  6. Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  7. Mobile Barcode Scanning Enabling Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  8. Mobile Internet Users, US Regular Mobile Internet Users (Monthly), Forecast: 2010 to 2016
  9. Specific Level of Interest in Select Applications for Mobile Barcode Scanning, Average Level of Interest Ratings Among US Respondents (1=Not Important; 5 = Extremely Important)

Charts

  1. Global Smartphone Shipments, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  2. Global Smartphone Shipments by Vendor (Actuals), Global Market, Vendor Market Share: 2008 to 2010
  3. Global Smartphone Shipments by Operating System, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  4. Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  5. Mobile Barcode Scanning Enabling Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  6. Mobile Internet Users, US Regular Mobile Internet Users (Monthly), Forecast: 2010 to 2016
  7. Consumer Awareness about Mobile Barcode Scanning using their Smartphone Camera, Percent of US Smartphone User Respondents
  8. General Level of Interest in Mobile Barcode Scanning, Percent of US Smartphone Respondents that Have NOT Scanned a Barcode with Their Smartphone
  9. Specific Level of Interest in Select Applications for Mobile Barcode Scanning (Comparison Chart), Average Level of Interest Ratings Among US Respondents (1=Not Important; 5 = Extremely Important)
  10. Frequency of Mobile Barcode Scanning, Percent of US Smartphone User Respondents that Have Scanned a Barcode with Their Smartphone
  11. Source/Method of Securing of Barcode Scanner/Reader Software on Smartphone, Percent of US Smartphone Users that have Scanned a Barcode with their Smartphone
  12. Sources of Scanned/Read Barcode using Smartphone, Percent of US Smartphone Users that have Scanned a Barcode with their Smartphone
  13. Reasons Less than Very Interested in Mobile Barcode Scanning, Percent of US Smartphone Users Less than Very Interested in Scanning Barcodes with their Smartphone
  14. Global Smartphone Shipments
  15. Global Smartphone Shipments by Vendor (Actuals)
  16. Global Smartphone Shipments by Operating System
  17. Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates
  18. Mobile Barcode Scanning Enabling Smartphone Technology Feature Attach Rates
  19. Mobile Internet Users
  20. Consumer Awareness about Mobile Barcode Scanning Using Their Smartphone Camera
  21. General Level of Interest in Mobile Barcode Scanning
  22. Specific Level of Interest in Select Applications for Mobile Barcode Scanning (Comparison Chart)
  23. Frequency of Mobile Barcode Scanning
  24. Source/Method of Securing of Barcode Scanner/Reader Software on Smartphone
  25. Sources of Scanned/Read Barcode using Smartphone
  26. Reasons Less than Very Interested in Mobile Barcode Scanning
  27. Global Smartphone Shipments, Global Market, Forecast: 2008 to 2016
  28. Consumer Awareness about Mobile Barcode Scanning Using Their Smartphone Camera, Percent of US Smartphone User Respondents
  29. Specific Level of Interest in Select Applications for Mobile Barcode Scanning (Comparison Chart), Average Level of Interest Ratings Among US Respondents (1=Not Important; 5 = Extremely Important)

Figures

  1. The Mobile Barcode Scanning Machine