NFC tags guide: 5 Things you need to know before buying NFC tags

Chaitra Joshi
June 6, 2019

According to Forbes, we can attribute the rise of experiential retail to the large population of millennials preferring experiences over product. With NFC technology being cherished now more than ever, it is only valid that retailers, marketers and other business owners started using NFC to breathe new life into their online & offline marketing efforts. The use of NFC technology assists marketers to deliver a memorable overall shopping experience besides the quick payment system for which the technology is known.

A quick recap on what is NFC:

Near Field Communication (NFC) is the technology that helps in wireless communication via electromagnetic fields. Wireless communication through NFC requires at least two NFC enabled devices to interact with each other.

Learn all about what is NFC and how does it work!

How does NFC fare against similar technologies?

RFID vs. NFC vs. Bluetooth: Most common applications

Why NFC is gaining traction: NFC use-cases

With the launch of iOS 13, NFC is all set to create an uproar by enabling users to read a whole array of contactless smartcards and tags, including NFC-enabled passports and other government IDs. Another useful addition in this update is the capability of the core NFC framework to support reading and writing NFC tags across formats like FeliCa, Mifare, ISO 7816 & ISO 15693 apart from the regular NDEF Tags. The upgrade ensures that NFC will find applications in more areas and with more types of tags in the future.

Let’s have a look at some powerful NFC use-cases worth considering:

NFC for mobile payments

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The rise to fame of NFC technology was aided by its capability to assist in hasslefree mobile-based payments with just a tap of the phone. Leading technology brands like Google, Samsung, and Apple incorporating NFC technology in their mobile wallets provide marketers all the validation needed for the potential of NFC to deliver improved customer experience.

NFC for proximity marketing

NFC is one of the recent additions in the race for proximity marketing devices. NFC powered ad campaigns have helped some well-known brands like Ralph Lauren, Lexus, Adidas & KFC to increase their footfalls and in-store customer engagement.

In-store applications of NFC technology helps retailers in delivering a memorable shopping trip to their customers and thereby build a loyal customer base.

NFC to drive social media engagement

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NFC posters are an excellent way of gaining social media followers and increasing engagement on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A compelling call-to-action combined with an intriguing poster helps NFC posters bring in maximum results.

RELATED: Best use-cases of NFC in 2019

NFC buying guide: Things to consider before investing in NFC

Investing in a technology requires spending more than just your money, it involves investing your resources and time into making the strategy successful. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself before buying NFC tags/stickers:

1. Which NFC use-case are you targeting?

Before investing in any technology, it is important to be clear on the purpose and goal behind the investment. NFC technology can be leveraged for any one or a combination of the use-cases mentioned above ranging from mobile-based payments to proximity marketing for in-store engagement and creating experiential retail shopping.

2. Which NFC form factor is most suitable for your use-case?

NFC is available in two form factors for usage in advertising campaigns: NFC tags and NFC stickers. NFC tags are a feasible option when deployed on posters, display windows, or print ad-campaigns. However, NFC stickers are more advantageous for embedding in product packaging, price tags, and business cards.

3. What should be the range of NFC for your use-case?

While there are manufacturers that sell long-range NFC tags, it is best to always go for a short-range NFC tag/sticker that transmits the data when tapped. The short-range NFC tags guarantee the security of the customers’ data and also ensures that the customers interact with your ad-campaigns voluntarily.

4. Does the seller deliver both hardware and software?

Another important question to ask yourself while buying NFC tags is if the seller you have chosen delivers both NFC hardware and software to deliver campaigns through the hardware. Although NFC tags/stickers can be easily bought directly from the manufacturers or even via Amazon, the troublesome task is to configure the device and deliver notifications/campaigns through the device. Therefore, it is ideal to choose to ensure at the time of purchase that your NFC hardware is pre-configured and accompanied by a cloud-based platform that assists you in instantly creating campaigns and delivering notifications once deployed.

Beaconstac’s NFC marketing platform provides you a subscription plan that delivers an end-to-end NFC marketing solution right from creating campaigns to analyzing the results of the campaign.

5. Cost vs. Benefits of using NFC

Investing in a new technology involves predetermining the costs and benefits attached to it. The right NFC marketing platform would be the one which delivers maximum benefits for the cost you pay.

An intuitive dashboard like Beaconstac helps you an integrated marketing solution that includes Beacon marketing and QR code marketing apart from NFC marketing.

Interested in buying NFC tags/stickers? Check out Beaconstac’s NFC marketing solution and our subscription plans. Schedule a demo to learn more on NFC marketing from our expert.