Executive Summary

There are two ways near field communication (NFC) tags can help retailers gain competitiveness: 1) by building customer engagement throughout the product lifecycle; and 2) by creating a more interactive and personal shopping experience for shoppers visiting the store.

• Retailers can “think like brands” by including NFC technology in their own products, such as private-label apparel ranges. This would enable them to engage with shoppers post-sale, for example, by sending customers branded content or practical information.
• NFC tags can also be deployed as in-store technology to enable brick-and-mortar retailers to capitalize on their physical presence by engaging with shoppers visiting the store.
• Survey data show US consumers tend to prefer NFC tags over competing technologies such as QR codes and Beacons, and appreciate the speed, convenience and control they have when using it.