[kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores

Sun Apr 19 11:20:54 EDT 2015

The app has been more useful than just this / we think.

e.g. Last time I looked it was also being used for book inventorying to 
go up to telico / librarything type stuff. Perhaps even calibre, 
fbreader, and media / song lyrics. I've lost track!

Seems to me I've also come across isbn (?) indice web sites - the scan 
lookup winging to there and based on the search results out to other 
useful places / links.

Also ... google goggles app. Take a picture ... interesting things 
result. (When I remember the app is even there.)

On 04/12/2015 01:50 PM, Khalid Baheyeldin wrote:
> That is how I use it too.
>
> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:49 PM, Keefer Rourke <keefer.rourke at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> +1 for Barcode Scanner, it's the only decent FLOSS-y scanner in the
>> Android market. I've never used it for grabbing prices on items in stores,
>> but it does decode those handy QR codes that seem to be everywhere these
>> days.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Keefer
>> On Apr 12, 2015 1:42 PM, "Khalid Baheyeldin" <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Barcode Scanner
>>> Starting as a winner in the first Google app contest
>>>
>>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android
>>>
>>> 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.
>>>
>>> There is this, which I have not tried.
>>> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.biggu.shopsavvy
>>>
>>> And there is Google Shopper, which is not available in Canada.
>>>
>>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 1:33 PM, CrankyOldBugger <
>>> crankyoldbugger at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 11:49 <jvj at golden.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> see Showrooming.
>>>>>
>>>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming
>>>>>
>>>>> JohnJ
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ------------------------------
>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [kwlug-disc] Technology big box stores
>>>>> *Date:* Sun, 12 Apr 2015 15:02:37 +0000
>>>>> *From:* CrankyOldBugger <crankyoldbugger at gmail.com>
>>>>> *To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>> *Reply-To:* KWLUG discussion <kwlug-disc at kwlug.org>
>>>>> 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.
>>>>>
>>>>> 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?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 12 Apr 2015 at 10:10 Khalid Baheyeldin <kb at 2bits.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>    Add to that TheSource. Which is just another Futureshop/BestBuy
>>>>>> clone.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Also you have the online only guys, like NCIX.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Others specialize more, such as Staples with office and furniture, and
>>>>>> Canada Computers with more tech stuff.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 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.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 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.
>>>>>>   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.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 9:59 AM, <jekerr at sdf.org> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi gang
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tiger Direct has everything in the store up to 40% off the lowest
>>>>>>> ticketed
>>>>>>> price. Two big box stores have merged and closed stores. I think
>>>>>>> Staples
>>>>>>> has closed some stores as well.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are the profit margins strong enough to keep so many stores open?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Are we seeing a trend here?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What do you think?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cheers
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> John
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>>>>>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>>>>>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>>>>>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>>>>>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>>>>>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>>>>>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple,
>>>>>> and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Khalid M. Baheyeldin
>>> 2bits.com, Inc.
>>> Fast Reliable Drupal
>>> Drupal optimization, development, customization and consulting.
>>> Simplicity is prerequisite for reliability. --  Edsger W.Dijkstra
>>> Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. --   Leonardo da Vinci
>>> For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and
>>> wrong." -- H.L. Mencken
>>>
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>>> kwlug-disc mailing list
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