Photo: WIki Commons
March 16, 2011 Staff Report
Sunnyside Shines, this neighborhood’s business improvement group, is in the early stages of putting together a high-tech system that it thinks will help increase the flow of business for local retailers.
Sunnyside Shines aims to use “quick response” technology, where all 300 stores in the district are provided with a bar/quick response code. Shoppers will then be able to use a smart phone and scan in the bar code located at the entrance, which will bring up each store’s individual web page.
Therefore, a shopper might walk past a restaurant, scan in the code and get a copy of the menu on his/her smart phone. The functionality can be even more extensive, where the shopper can see a video of the chef preparing the food.
All 300 sites/pages will be created by Sunnyside Shines, which will manage the system. However, the business owners will be able to change their own page or update it at any time.
Additionally, by scanning the code, consumers will be able to find out if there are any special discounts being offered at a given store. As the technology progresses, shoppers will be notified in advance when a store has any deals.
Sunnyside Shines hopes to get the system up and running by June. The program’s name is likely to be called “Sunnyside Shopping,” although Sunnyside Shines is asking the public for suggestions.
