Additionally, Best Buy shoppers who are not in-store, can research and shop for items with the option to buy now for in-store pick-up or home delivery. By geofencing their locations, Best Buy is able to offer relevant and targeted offers to its customers – thus driving foot traffic.

“RedLaser and eBay Mobile’s main goal is to make shopping easy, quick and fun,” said Rob Veres, senior director of mobile and general manager of RedLaser at eBay, San Jose, CA.

“That’s why instead of competing with bricks-and-mortar stores, eBay works with them,” he said. “RedLaser 4.0 is a big step towards the future of in-app shopping.

“It’s the first app update with in-store experience geofencing, coupons, loyalty cards and personalized homescreen – all features we plan to build out in the future.”

Driving traffic
The RedLaser partnership is a great way for Best Buy to drive foot traffic to its locations.

With the in-store experience, RedLaser is able to identify that the customer is in a Best Buy store and customize what is showed to the shopper, especially during the critical time when they are ready to make a purchase.

“These things include local discounts available at that particular store, installation services and special warranties,” Mr. Veres said.

“We can also show accessories that might go with a product the customer intends to purchase,” he said. “If you’re buying a digital camera, we might show a recommended lens for it.”

New features
RedLaser has rolled out several new features to its service.

There is now a daily deals feature, which is powered by RetailMeNot and lets shoppers search for coupons and offers from their favorite stores.

Additionally, based on what has been have searched before, RedLaser will recommend items relevant to each user, right on the app’s home screen.

Finally, there is a loyalty rewards feature that eliminates the need for shoppers to carry individual loyalty cards by storing them all within the app.

“To date, RedLaser has been used widely in local stores but often we just tell the customer where else to buy a product,” Mr. Veres said.

“RedLaser 4.0 is currently partnering with Toys R Us, Best Buy and GNC to offer shoppers the ability to research and shop with the option to buy now for either in-store pick-up or home delivery later with more retailers to come,” he said.

“With more than 20 million downloads to date, RedLaser’s unique platform allows companies to reach consumers using a channel they prefer and in turn empowers them to quickly and conveniently take action – whether scanning a bar code or checking the local Best Buy.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York