Using ‘cool tech’ to allow indies to compete with chains

If you read yesterday’s entry, you are now aware of what infolust is and what dumb buildings are. Here’s how the technology arising from this trend/opportunity can be applied to helping innovative local indie merchants compete with the national chains…

Many people favor chains because they know exactly what they’re going to get. This is not the case when they come across a unique restaurant or store while walking down the street, there’s a bit of risk involved. In due time, RFID (radio frequency ID) and next generation bar code scanning (see how it works with your cell phone here) can even the score.

As the storyboard image shows, an infolust patron walks by and notices a rather appealing restaurant she’s never seen. With her interest piqued, her RFID-enabled cell phone can remotely pick up reviews of the restaurant (or via the code scan) while the other two info-deprived passersby must rely solely on the menu pasted on the window for evaluation. Happy with the reviews, our newly informed patron walks in (the other two walk on, not realizing what they’re missing), and the restaurant welcomes its latest regular.

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neilkt