[img_assist|nid=26452|title=|desc=|link=popup|align=left|width=150|height=100]i-Free, a Russian developer of NFC (Near Field Communication) and remote payment solutions, has added NFC touchpoints to OKAY superstores shopping trolleys (aka carts) in St Petersburg. The touchpoints enable the trolleys to be tracked online whether they’re inside or outside the store, significantly increasing the reach of ads on the trolleys. i-Free has also developed a mobile app to scan the ads. It has also developed and implemented a storewide trolley tracking system, and is responsible for selling ad space on the trolleys.   

“We wanted to show how easy NFC is to use in everyday applications, and how it can simplify complex business processes,” said Nikita Petrov, i-Free project manager. “The new NFC-equipped carts take in-store marketing and promotion to a whole new level, which makes a real difference in today’s oversaturated advertising environment. These carts also enable advertisers a far greater degree of control over the state and impact of their advertising than traditional store-based vehicles”.

The OKAY chain superstore trolleys represent the first step in i-Free’s campaign to equip large retail outlets in St. Petersburg and beyond with smart shopping trolley tracking systems, based on NFC technology.

The shopping trolleys themselves, designed by Australia’s Markitcart and customized for use in Russian superstores, are lighter and more maneuverable than traditional trolleys, and are intended to keep ads in a position of maximum visibility at all times. Ads are placed on the sides of trolleys rather than on the front and rear, as in the traditional cart-based advertising model, providing greater visibility and a higher numbers of views.

To support the increased trackability of the smart trolley-based ads, staff periodically take stock of the trolleys, scanning the NFC touchpoints with their mobile phones and transmitting data from the trolleys to their supervisors’ phones using the app developed by i-Free. The route each trolley takes through the store is placed in a database, accessible to advertisers, enabling detailed analysis of the impact of the ads on the route customers take through the store. The NFC touchpoint can also be used to store information about a trolley’s condition, the state of the ad surface, the condition of the poster, and more.