<div dir="ltr"><div><div><div>Barcode Scanner<br>Starting as a winner in the first Google app contest <br><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android</a><br><br></div>It is not limited to shopping, it reads any barcode (regular or QRCodes), and understands what it is to some extent, and links to the relevant web resource for it.<br><br></div>There is this, which I have not tried.<br><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.biggu.shopsavvy">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.biggu.shopsavvy</a><br><br></div>And there is Google Shopper, which is not available in Canada.<br></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:33 PM, CrankyOldBugger <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:crankyoldbugger@gmail.com" target="_blank">crankyoldbugger@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr">Although I don't know if it exists for Canada, I know there are apps out there that let you scan a barcode in the store with your phone, then it will come back with the online prices right there.<br></div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 11:49 <<a href="mailto:jvj@golden.net" target="_blank">jvj@golden.net</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">see Showrooming.<br><br><a title="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming</a><br><br>JohnJ<br><br><br><hr><strong>Subject:</strong> Re: [kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores<br><strong>Date:</strong> Sun, 12 Apr 2015 15:02:37 +0000<br><strong>From:</strong> CrankyOldBugger <<a href="mailto:crankyoldbugger@gmail.com" target="_blank">crankyoldbugger@gmail.com</a>><br><strong>To:</strong> KWLUG discussion <<a href="mailto:kwlug-disc@kwlug.org" target="_blank">kwlug-disc@kwlug.org</a>><br><strong>Reply-To:</strong> KWLUG discussion <<a href="mailto:kwlug-disc@kwlug.org" target="_blank">kwlug-disc@kwlug.org</a>><br>
<div dir="ltr">There's a thing in retail called "The Best Buy Effect" (or something like that) that describes the problems most brick and mortar stores are having now: people go into a store, look at the products on the shelves, decide what they want, then go home and order it online, cheaper. I sometimes do the same thing myself.<br>
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<div>But I should add that I'm finding more and more that big stores don't carry as much inventory as their websites do. For example, when I was in California last week I went looking for a Kohl's department store as a friend recommended it for men's clothing. Their website has a large selection of big and tall men's clothes, so I drove to two different stores in two different towns. In both cases, there were no b&t items on the shelves. Clerks in both stores told me that b&t is available only on the website. So how am I going to try something on to be sure it fits ok? </div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 10:10 Khalid Baheyeldin <<a href="mailto:kb@2bits.com" target="_blank">kb@2bits.com</a>> wrote:<br>
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<div>Add to that TheSource. Which is just another Futureshop/BestBuy clone.<br><br>Also you have the online only guys, like NCIX.<br><br>Others specialize more, such as Staples with office and furniture, and Canada Computers with more tech stuff.<br><br>Futureshop was sold to BestBuy a long time ago (10+ years?) It did not make any sense to keep the two brands going, with stores close by. Almost everything in their inventory overlapped. I am surprised that it took them that long to realize this is not efficient.<br><br></div>
I found that sometimes ordering some items online is cheaper than the same items in store (if they had that in the inventory), even when you add shipping. I am talking about the same item from the same store online vs. retail.</div>
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The trend it seems that stores will rely on online sales as their main revenue/profit source, with stores shrinking, perhaps in size and in numbers.</div>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 9:59 AM, <span><<a href="mailto:jekerr@sdf.org" target="_blank">jekerr@sdf.org</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi gang<br><br> Tiger Direct has everything in the store up to 40% off the lowest ticketed<br> price. Two big box stores have merged and closed stores. I think Staples<br> has closed some stores as well.<br><br> Are the profit margins strong enough to keep so many stores open?<br><br> Are we seeing a trend here?<br><br> What do you think?<br><br> Cheers<br><br> John<br><br><br><br> _______________________________________________<br> kwlug-disc mailing list<br><a href="mailto:kwlug-disc@kwlug.org" target="_blank">kwlug-disc@kwlug.org</a><br><a href="http://kwlug.org/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org" target="_blank">http://kwlug.org/mailman/listinfo/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org</a></blockquote>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">Khalid M. Baheyeldin<br><a href="http://2bits.com" target="_blank">2bits.com</a>, Inc.<br>Fast Reliable Drupal<br>Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.<br>Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. -- Edsger W.Dijkstra<br>Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. -- Leonardo da Vinci<br>For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken<br></div>
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