YESTAP: Google workers can order via NFC and pick up their groceries as they head home

Mobile ordering startup YesTap has installed an NFC-based interactive shopping wall at Google’s Amsterdam offices which lets employees tap to order groceries and make a payment on their mobile device before collecting the items at the end of the day.

The interactive wall is a 60-inch TV that displays pictures of a range of meals, each with their own NFC tag. When tapped, the meal gets added to the consumer’s mobile cart and details such as the ingredients and preparation instructions can be viewed in the mobile app.

The groceries, which are pre-packaged in the exact quantity to cook the dish, are supplied by specialist grocer and delicatessen Bilder & De Clercq.

“We created an effortless user experience; tap the NFC tag to download the app or find it on the Play Store, enter credit card information once and then, from there on, they can continue to order and pay so it’s a simple tap and go solution,” Kenneth Yip, a co-founder of YesTap, told NFC World+.

“We overlaid, on top of the TV, the NFC elements so it’s not directly infused within the TV, it’s a frame that sits seamlessly on top,” he explained. “We also have the technology that allows for the interactive wall to be updated through our web portal.

“We have a system where our grocery partner can update the images that would then be reflected on the mobile device and it all synchronizes together so we know which image corresponds to which NFC tag and the mobile device then interacts accordingly.

“Right now, it’s going well and there’s no indication for when this will be coming to an end,” Yip added. “They love how they can order the meals with this level of convenience. The fact that they can just simply tap and select the items from their mobile and pay, get it delivered to the Google office for them to pick it up before they leave, it’s a great experience and very practical.”

YesTap also worked with Vodafone in Amsterdam to provide a mobile ordering and payment solution using a mobile app earlier this year. NFC tags were attached to shelves around Vodafone’s self-service cafeteria next to food items so that employees could tap the tags to add items to their cart as they go.

“We are looking to partner with catering, fast food and point-of-sale companies to really disrupt the food service market with our mobile technology,” Yip added.