New Technology Reviews!.: Shopping

In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/people/Osama%20Bedier%20Google-200-200.jpg"> If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credit card, think again; Google's plans for real-world shopping are much more ambitious than that, according to Google's Osama Bedier, vice president of platforms for mobile and new ventures. It's not just about avoiding the ads for things we already own that 75% of us see online, although Bedier would clearly like to make that more efficient. And when he says that 20% of people are more likely to buy something that a friend or family member has recommended it sounds like the FTC's privacy penalties for Buzz haven't discouraged Google from considering the opportunities in social networking. What Bedier wants to do is use the smartphone - which he calls "the iconic device of this decade" - to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping. "We're about to see some major changes. It has the promise to bring best of both worlds. Online you get unlimited inventory and the best prices; offline you get to touch and feel the product and you get to take it home with you immediately." Some UK stores are already combining the two, he points out, "Dominoes in the UK already gets a third of their delivery orders online. Tesco has the fifth most downloaded app on iTunes that allows you to scan grocery items in the store and put then on your online grocery cart for online checkout." The Google vision Bedier's vision of the future of commerce "begins to look like shopping did fifty years ago, when everyone shopped at the local store". But instead of the shopkeeper knowing you because you've shopped there for years, remembering your favourites and offering you credit if you've left your wallet at home, Bedier says technology can give shopping the personal and convenient touch. "I should be able to walk in the store and that store greets me. I decide to share my identity, I decide to share my location and when I walk in the store it greets me by name, it tells me the cheese I like is available. The fridge may have already looked at what I'm out of and created a shopping list - and it also included ingredients from recipes I liked on Epicurious. "And that shopping list turns into an in-store map where I navigate the most efficient way. If I get to an item that's out, I scan the barcode and it tells me where else I can buy it or have it delivered to my house. And when I go to check out I walk with that shopping cart directly out of the door. NFC stickers on all the items can actually tell whether the item is paid for or not and the sensor lets it go through." Already possible All the technology is there today, Bedier claims - the problem is making it interoperable. "First, payments need to go digital." Today shops make the choice of what payment methods to accept based on things like how much it costs them to process the payments; he wants to see the choice go to the customer. "All my cards - whether they're credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, private label cards - they need to move into the platform, they all need to be digital and they need to be available to me at any store I want to use them. I need to be able to use my choice of cards, not what the merchant wants to accept." And like web sites, stores should tell you what's in stock (think of a Google search that covers physical shops): "Consumers should be able to find an item in real time at any store online or off and to be able to pick it up and buy it right there. Inventory needs to live in the cloud. A merchant used to sell in a physical store and the web came along and they made a copy of that storefront. Now mobile is coming along and that model wont scale any more. Inventory needs to move and live in the cloud." None of that is going to work if you have to create an account to tell every shop you go into who you are. "Identity needs to be interoperable," says Bedier. "The whole idea of going to store by store by store and signing up for gift cards and credit cards, all this signing up - no. Identity needs to work seamlessly across merchants across devices, across use cases." It's a grand vision that needs shops and stores to reveal a lot more information - like inventory levels - than they usually make public; and we're not sure how well banks will take to making all your different cards work on the same payment system or how much we'd like shops that remember us a la Minority Report.

In Depth: Google: NFC will bridge gap between online and offline shopping

If you thought the NFC chips that Google has started putting into Nexus phones are just there to turn your Android phone into a Google credi...

Top 10 Tips For Shopping Online Safely

1. Look For Signs of Security on The Sites You VisitSSL Certificates SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is all about encryption. SSL encrypts data, like credit cards numbers and personal log-in details which prevents cyber criminals from stealing your information. Identify security clues such as a lock image at the side or bottom of your browser or a URL that begins with https.The 's' in https and padlock won't necessarily appear on the sites you visit until you log onto a page which needs to be secure such as the account registration or log -in screens and at the online checkout screen.Most sites ought to provide a link for users to view their SSL certificate and if you want to know what one might look like, then click on our link below.PCI DSS Certificates From October 2009 all online shops need to have a Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certificate. The standard applies to all organisations which hold, process, or pass cardholder information from credit or debit cards. It was created to help organizations that process card payments prevent credit card fraud through increased controls around data and its exposure to 'hacking'.There are different levels of certification, for example some on-line shops only need to complete a self assessment questionnaire, whilst others have to open up their systems and networks to security scans by third party organisations approved and often appointed by the Merchant Banks. At Office Allsorts we have opted for the more rigorous third party scans. There are any number of Companies who carry out the certification but in all instances, all sites ought to have their PCI DSS certificate available on their site somewhere.3D Secure Finally, there's something you as a customer can do. Visa and Mastercard have introduced a secure authentication process for transactions where you, the card holder, is not present. It's known as 3D Secure and can be considered the online version of 'Chip and Pin' technology, whereby the cardholder has a personalised password registered with their card that is entered during the checkout process. This private code gives you added protection against unauthorised use of your card at participating online shops and confirms that you are the authorised cardholder. Even if someone knows your credit/debit card number, the purchase can't be completed without your password or secure code being entered as well.Registering involves a quick, one-time process. Simply log on to Verified by VisaTM or MasterCard? SecureCodeTM, register your secret password, create your personal message and you're done. The next time you shop online, you'll be automatically prompted for your secret password during checkout. MasterCard brand their system as 'MasterCard SecureCode' and Visa call theirs 'Verified by Visa'.2. User Names and PasswordIf you have the opportunity to change or generate your user name then don't use your email address,.... it's too widely known. If you are issued an initial password then change it at the first opportunity to one with a mixture of letters numbers and symbols, but make sure you will remember it next time.3. Credit Card v Debit CardTry to avoid using your debit card. The bank provides you security guarantees with a credit card that are not given with a debit card.4. Never Send Payment Information via EmailInformation that travels over the Internet (such as email) is not fully protected from being read by outside parties. Most reputable merchant sites use encryption technologies that will protect your private data from being accessed by others as you conduct an online transaction.5. 'Remember My Password' - NoTry not to use the option 'remember my password' when registering online as your passwords are then stored on the PC, and are the first thing that a fraudster will target. Some malware is designed and written to go and search your PC for these passwords. In addition to this, if you use a laptop that is lost or stolen, the passwords go with it.6. Check Your Card StatementsCheck your statements regularly, not only to verify the transactions you've made but to look for irregular activity. Fraudsters usually start with small to 'test' the card or personal details before using stolen details in earnest.7. Privacy PoliciesMake a habit of checking the site's privacy policy for details of how your personal information will be used and only provide the minimum of personal information, especially in online forms.8. Check Terms and ConditionsCheck the Terms and Conditions of the sites you visit. If they are genuine, they will have returns policies in place and details about when the online transaction is concluded and your rights as a customer. If these aren't available, walk away.9. Anti-virus softwareKeep your anti-virus product up to date. For example, set your Microsoft Updates to automatic and you won't need to remember to update Microsoft's.10. Separate CardConsider using a separate card for online shopping with a low spending limit to limit the potential damage done, if, in the worse case, it is used fraudulently.	 	 		 			 				 					 						About the Author:Carl Barton (<a href="mailto:carl.barton@officeallsorts.co.uk">carl.barton@officeallsorts.co.uk</a>) is the Commercial Director at Office Allsorts Ltd, a discount online <a href="http://www.officeallsorts.co.uk" target="_new">Office Supplies</a> and stationery business based in the UK. Visit the website at <a href="http://www.officeallsorts.co.uk" target="_new">www.officeallsorts.co.uk</a>.

Top 10 Tips For Shopping Online Safely

1. Look For Signs of Security on The Sites You Visit SSL Certificates SSL or Secure Sockets Layer is all about encryption. SSL encrypts d...