From a retail technology experience, the most interesting part of e-reading is not the device itself.  The interesting part of the e-reader scenario is that retailers have moved a store from the desktop into the customers hands.

One of the unique aspects of using an iPad or an Android tablet device is that there are multiple apps that provide a software version of the e-Reader experience. On my iPad I have Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, Goodreader, and Bluefire readers.   Which is the best really depends on your needs and preferences.

Goodreader I find best for reading PDFs and many other file formats. That solution provides a PC like experience where a directory tree can be accessed and manipulated and files can be read, moved and more. It is a basic reader that works well for downloading and reading some of my 50 years of Mad Magazine PDFs, free books from the Internet Archive, or trade publications and studies that I want to read and keep in directories. It allows for notes and annotations that are useful – particularly for work reading.  While a very useful and free application for many purposes, I wouldn’t recommend this one for beginners who just want to read books.

I also have Bluefire for a very specific purpose. Early adopters of eBooks will remember Adobe Digital Editions. I recently decided to pull down an ebook only available on Digital Editions, and Bluefire was the best solution I could find to get that format on my tablet. Bluefire works fine, but I prefer apps with direct access to a bookstore as I expect most users do. I’m not interested in moving files around or changing formats or any of the other bothersome plumbing that Bluefire required.

iBooks is Apple’s eReader app. There were big hopes for iBooks based on the iTunes juggernaut. The app works well and is very polished in the Classic Apple manner. It was first out of the gate with attractive colour images of the book covers and art, but beyond the polish is just a bit lighter on functionality than the Kobo and Kindle apps. It originally lacked night reading functionality (white text on black background) which is important to me (no lamp clicking or bright light to trouble my sleeping spouse as I read at night).   On the whole it is very functional.  Note:  I haven’t played with iBooks 2, but I’m sure that ups the ante.

Amazon’s Kindle App is a very strong entry. It’s very simple and fundamental, but that also means it is intuitive. Changing fonts, navigating tables of contents and taking notes is well done. It is also easy to move books in and out of the archive to the main book shelf.   The app is also available on the iPhone and your place in the book is synched flawlessly (same goes for iBooks and Kobo). I never thought I would read on my phone but it does lend itself well to that should you unexpectedly catch yourself without your reader and time on your hands.

My personal favourite at present is the Kobo eReader app.  The Kobo app looks great, it has great note taking and bookmarking features, and the night reading feature meets my needs very well.  On the down side, Kobo changes the app constantly and seems to think that I want to share my reading habits with all of my Facebook friends and constantly wants me to do so – a flaw I work very hard to ignore.  I will at least give credit to the fact that Kobo is putting the effort into trying new things and staying ahead of the curve.  I have also managed to get library books into Kobo at one point, but it wasn’t easy.

At bottom all of these apps work well, but what makes any of them absolutely stand out?  Their stores.

Goodreader and Bluefire have no bookstore.  This is a non-starter for me.  I’m not going to use them as as my default reading app unless it’s easy to get library books into them.

iBooks have a great app.  They have the only bookstore that you can buy from directly within the app.  Apple decreed late last year that they were going to charge a 30% fee for everything sold within an app – an untenable business model for other booksellers.  Apple doesn’t have to pay a fee to themselves, so they have a monopoly on in app purchases.  While that gives them far and away the best user experience for purchasing, there is a problem.  Most of the books I want to purchase are not available on it.  I’ve only personally purchased one book from them.

Amazon had a great store on the iPad, but with the changes to apple policy that all went away.  Instead of a in app store, Kindle has to tell customers to keep a weblink on the iPad to their ebook store.  From there, the Kindle bookstore available to me is a bit of a debacle. First, it is a true webpage and has none of the simplified look and feel of a tablet app or tablet formatted webpage, making it less intuitive to less experienced users.  It feels like one has been dropped into a giant warehouse built with HTML from 2005 with no rhyme or reason.  It is easy to search but suggestions for purchases are way down past first screen requiring a scroll to see it. If a desired book is not available in Kindle format it just doesn’t show up but lower on the page there is an option to buy the hardcopy. While I understand that, it felt strange for the first number of times I used it. From a user experience and interface perspective it could improve.   Let’s be clear, though, Amazon are far more interested in getting you to buy a Fire or a Kindle, so they have spent their time building an intuitive interface for those devices instead.  [Note: Since I wrote this, they have upgraded the page and it's actually a bit better.]

Kobo are also hampered by having to provide a weblink for users on their iPads.  The store itself is far superior to the Kindle store on the iPad – web page or no.  It’s easy to navigate, and simple to find things.  It’s formatting fits on the tablet well.  They also have most of the books I’m looking for and – surprise of surprises – their prices have been lower of late.  They also recently updated their app to show some shelves that include recommendations.  A nice touch.

Some thoughts on all of this that are applicable to any shopping experience on a mobile device.

1.  The content is as important as the app.  The app has to look good and be functional, but if there is no content to back up the app, I’m going to lose interest.  The prices also have to be reasonable.

2. Making the user experience very very simple will sell more stuff.  I’m so sick of having to enter my login and passwords to buy books.  I know Apple is to blame for that, but figure out a way that I don’t have to do that.  Having to go back and buy the book on the webstore after reading the first chapter is really quite lame.  I should be able to just hit a button to get the rest of the book at the end of the chapter.  I’m also sick of hunting around for the button to download a sample.  Some of the stores make that hard to find.

3. Give people options on sharing.  I’m sure someone loves sharing all of their reading habits and opinions via social media.  That’s terrific, but don’t keep hitting me over the head with it if I’m not into it.  It gets downright bothersome.  I would appreciate a simple way to tell specific friends I think they should read this or that book – directly – without the world knowing.  Perhaps ask me at the end if I want to recommend it.  Maybe I could even get some points if my recommended friends buy it.

4.  All of the ebookstores could improve.  I like the fact that Kobo now suggests books I might like right on my bookshelf, but their recommendations seem a bit simplistic.  If I buy a book from an author, I don’t want every book on my recommendation shelf to be from that author.  I could figure that out.  Amazon makes some reasonable suggestions but I have to go online to see those.  On the whole, the ebookstores still feel like a web page to me.  Things shouldn’t feel like a web page anymore.  We’ve moved on to apps – or at least an app like interface.

5.  What are you using all of that data for?  Store and selling data is really interesting, but the data about consumption must be a new window that could not be cracked in the past.  As a consumer I could get all freaky about privacy and what the retailers know about me, but I actually hope that the eBook sellers are mining all of this data.  The apps know the time of day we read, they know if we read the book in one sitting or over months, and they know if we actually finish or not.  Seems like they are sitting on a really rich set of data that might be interesting to publishers and authors.  If it means more books I want to read and a strong publishing and book selling industry I’m all for it.

I’ve come to enjoy the convenience of eReaders.  I can bring lots of books with me, read without the lights on, keep notes, search within the books, and buy books wherever and whenever I want.  Kudos to booksellers for not falling into the same trap as the music industry.

eBookstores are really only just getting up to speed and will be a fascinating window into mobile commerce that should be heeded by all of those retailers trying to harvest business in that space.

NRF Big Show 2012 – As mentioned, I was at the NRF show this week.  Check out this video covering the underlying themes seen on the floor:  mobile,  consumer experience, convergence of channels, and inventory visibility.

Dominos Augmented Reality  - Dominos is using Augmented Reality to sell pizza in the UK.  Using the blippar app, users point their mobile’s camera at a billboard to see an overlay on their screen that they can touch for offers and ordering.

Microsoft Electronic Mirror – At CES this year, Microsoft was showing their version of a technology enhanced mirror concept.  I’ve seen a few of these so far, and perhaps they are a bit ahead of their time.  The Microsoft Kinect sure has some interesting possibilities for retail – particularly given it now has an official SDK - and eventually someone will work out a use case it in a retail setting that will add value to the customer experience.

Publix Cancels Curbside Pickup - US grocer Publix piloted a program for a year where customers can order groceries online and then have them brought to the car upon arrival to the store.   The program has been cancelled.  It’s an interesting idea, but I expect it is much simpler logistically to have customers come into the store to pick up their order or to have orders delivered to their home directly.

Intuit launching iPhone Payments in Canada – Staying ahead of Square, Intuit is expected to launch their GoPayment solution in Canada in the near future.  I’ve had requests from friends and clients about an equivalent to Square in Canada, so expect they will have some takers.  I will be most interested to see how they deal with EMV.  Both the Intuit and Square solution include card swiping modules that connect to the iPhone or iPad.  Those devices work fine with decades old MSR technology, but what about EMV and the requirement for reading chips from cards, and allowing entry of PINs- a requirement in Canada?

Cineplex has offered their Print, Skip, and Scan option for some time.  Under this program, customers visit the Cineplex website, pick the film and venue and then print their tickets at home.  The tickets each have barcode that can be scanned for entry.  I have been a user of this solution many times, but have found that often my family decides to see a movie on the spur of the moment.  Given the time it takes to print out the 4-5 pages of tickets on my slow home printer, it’s actually faster in this instance to go to the theatre and just use the self serve kiosk to order and print tickets.  This new mobile solution lets me get my tickets on the way to the theatre.

Here’s how it works:

• Customers with an iPhone or iPad can buy tickets right on the mobile device.  The Cineplex app can be downloaded from the iTunes store.  (The app is also available for Android and Blackberry users)
• On first use customers add their Scene Loyalty card number in the app so they get full credit for purchases.
• Using the app, which has great Flixster like information on the films showing, customers select the film, venue, showtime and quantity of tickets.
• Customers enter their credit card number to pay.
• The app provides the option to either print tickets at home (tickets sent via email) or use one’s mobile device to pick them up at the theatre.  I chose to use my mobile device.
• The tickets quickly become available under a tab at the right side of the app labelled ‘tickets’.  Upon clicking the tickets tab, all tickets available to the customer are displayed on the mobile device.  Each ticket transaction has an associated barcode that is displayed on the screen.
• Upon arrival at the theatre, customers visit a dedicated, stylish and very plainly identified kiosk to print their tickets.
• After indicating on the kiosk that ticket printing is requested.  Customers open the cineplex app, select the tickets for the film they wish to use, and present the resulting barcode on their mobile to the plainly labelled scanner/imager on the kiosk.
• Tickets for each individual attendee print immediately.  Customers take these tickets to the Cineplex associate who scans it and customers are ready to watch their movie.

What’s great about this solution?

• It provides yet another channel for Cineplex customers to use.  Great retail today is about customer choice.  Customers can now buy tickets in yet another way – one that is very interesting to a significant segment of the movie viewing public – and one that is sure to appeal to Millenials who are increasingly accustomed to purchasing goods and services on their mobile devices.  While a new channel is available, all the old ones are still there.  If customers want to line up and buy their tickets from a person they can do so.  If they want to use a self service kiosk, they can do so.  If they want to order online and print at home, they can do so.  If they want to order online or on their mobile and print at the theatre they can do so.
• It’s simple and builds upon the principles of purchase via their other channels.  It uses the same purchase flow and probably same web services for online ticket purchases.  This makes it a simple transition for current users.
• The kiosk interface is very simple and the solution doesn’t make you wait. It’s very responsive.

What can improve?

• Purchasing on the mobile and entering a whole credit card makes for some small text and less than optimal user interface situations.  That is probably more a function of what you can do with a mobile website today, and given that this is an initial iteration, I’m sure this will improve.  I expect that could also be improved if customers were allowed to tie a credit card number to their scene account so no credit card number need be entered.
• The kiosk was a bit hard to find – placed by the arcade area.  Given all of the other technology in the front of a theatre, I can see that this would be a challenging decision for both logistical (power, data, floorspace) and flow (queueing, so many screens at front of the theatre) reasons.  Once you find the area, it is very plainly labeled and easy to understand.  Also, once customers that wish to use a solution like this know where the kiosk is, it becomes a moot point, as it will be easy for them to find.

On the whole, a very well done implementation in my mind.   I find it useful, and I applaud Cineplex for making the effort to install a solution of this kind.  I look forward to the evolution of this solution.

Mobile Coupons Keep Coming – I read with interest a recent article indicating that Proctor & Gamble has partnered with mobeam on a solution to provide scanner readable mobile coupons to consumer mobile devices without the need to upgrade scanners already installed at stores.  My rudimentary understanding of the solution is that their technology allows mobile devices to communicate with store scanners by fooling them into thinking they are reading a regular barcode.

While Starbucks went the route of upgrading all of their scanners to models with imagers to accept mobile payments, that can be much more costly and challenging for a grocer with thousands and thousands of lanes, including many lanes in each store.  Having a solution that can read coupons without hardware upgrades makes the acceptance of mobile coupons a far simpler exercise.

I will be very interested to observe consumer acceptance of this idea.  One hurdle I’ve noticed on mobile tickets and payments is the awkward dance we all have when we get to a POS and want to use our mobile.  Neither the customer nor the cashier seems 100% certain of how the process should flow.  Do you hand the cashier the phone, do they point the scanner at the mobile?  Starbucks is still a bit awkward depending on the cashier.  Savvy cashiers place the scanner by the POS perpendicular to the cashier and customer so that customers can hold our own mobile device in front of it.

If a retailer has a handheld or single window vertical scanner, the process can be worked out as outlined above.  If they have a bioptic scanner or scanner-scale, things get very awkward as a customer either has to hand over their mobile or reach across various checkstand elements at the lane to expose the screen of their mobile.  In both cases, there is currently no indication to the customer when they should present their mobile device.   There should be a green light that indicates and is activated when it’s time to scan.  Not a blue light that’s on all the time.  I’ve placed my mobile in front of the scanner too soon from time to time.  These situations are certainly sub optimal.  Expect changes in checkstand and physical scanner design to accommodate mobile device to POS interface requirements.  The current checkstands are not designed for these transactions, and the process needs to be simplified so that my mom can do it if it is going to get to the mainstream.

The other issue with mobile coupons is dealing with multiple items.  If a customer is presenting one coupon, reading a barcode is no problem.  If a customer wants to present multiple coupons at one time, things becomes more complex.   Nobody wants to scan or hold up their mobile devices for multiple scans – especially if the customer has to search through to bring up different codes on their screen.  This will complicate the process and slow throughput at the front end of any business.  To simplify this process, it would be better to have a list of discounts on the screen and only one scan to the POS applies the coupons.  In my opinion, the best option is to allow for selection of offers and coupons online via mobile or web, and then scan a mobile device at the POS to identify the customer via a membership id number.  When that virtual loyalty card is scanned, discounts are applied automatically depending on purchases.

I see solutions like mobeam and the Starbucks mobile payment solutions as evolutionary and necessary solutions to move the POS forward.   These solutions allow early adopters to prove out the business case for using mobile devices at the POS and to establish the comfort level of the greater population with using mobile interfaced POS solutions.  Both of these solutions represent key stepping stones towards the ever elusive mobile wallet.

Google Store – I was slow catching this one, but apparently Google opened up a Chromezone store in the UK; confusing the masses who thought their apps were free.  Apparently they are using it to push Chromebooks.   I guess they didn’t want to leave Apple and Microsoft to go it alone.  Can’t wait until Facebook starts opening stores – it’s the only natural progression.

Wantful – If you’re having a hard time picking Christmas gifts this year, here’s a tool to help you out.  Visit Wantful, answer a few questions about your giftee, and the site will provide 16 curated options.  They will deliver a custom printed book to deliver to your gift target.   They can then pick their favourite from the list and it will be shipped to them.

Boo.ly – While you’re finishing up your Christmas shopping, or searching for New Year’s deals, you can price check by using an add-on from Boo.ly with your browser. Boo.ly will provide information on competitive pricing, coupons and deals based on only your searches; whatever engine you may prefer.  One more challenge for retailers to navigate in the time of increasing price transparency.

Window Shopping Online – People like to window shop.  Amazon’s longtime Windowshop beta provides a slightly different online shopping experience, but TurnHills.com provides a more literal online window shopping experience, with actual photos of storefront windows of major brands.  In the same vein, Google has been talking about their Business Photos and integrating them with Google Streetview for some time.

A  Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant has been piloting an ordering system for iPads for a month here in Mississauga that allows customers to order directly from the tables on iPads specifically deployed to the tables for that purpose. The solution is from Hubworks Interactive.   I visited the restaurant a month ago, but did not get seated at those tables to try out the system personally.  You can see the iPads sitting on the table in the background.  I like the concept, but a few thoughts come to mind:

• The site is in here in Ontario.  In Canada, EMV is a requirement.  A pinpad is not visible on these devices.  Doesn’t that leave the restaurant on the hook if someone challenges the charge?  That is the general rule here.
• How is the iPad secured so some nefarious soul can’t leave with it?  The iPad units I saw just sit on the table.  While they have a large pack on them to keep the battery charged and protect them, I didn’t see any securing of the solution. There was quite a large staff on hand, and that would defeat much of that potential but in a busy situation with 58 screens on the walls, and the proliferation of beer – some will probably walk.
• I didn’t see a printer on the terminals, so doesn’t someone have to bring a receipt to the table anyway?  It makes it more convenient for clients to pay when they wish, but it doesn’t remove the effort of wait staff from bringing a receipt.  A paper receipt is required locally for debit and credit transactions.
• Customers inevitably have some request that is not exactly as it appears on the menu.   (Soda water with extra lime, anyone?)  I assume that is handled by wait staff.
• What about coupons for a free appetizer?  What about gift cards?  Are those accommodated?  Special offers and gift cards are a big part of the restaurant business.
• Who is tasked with taking orders to the tables and validating that clients aren’t waiting too long?  When I asked about it at the restaurant, they indicated that the orders from the iPad ordering system are not identified any differently on the Kitchen Display system.  What is the influence on tipping when I entered my order on a terminal?  If it goes down will wait staff avoid those tables?
• What is the care and feeding of such a solution from a technical perspective moving forward?  I’m not aware of much in the way of remote support tools for iOS units. The Hubworks Interactive website indicates that they use a cloud based solution which should minimize the management, but that work never goes away completely.  For example, these units have to be charged by someone at some point.  Cloud based solutions also mean that if the restaurant goes offline, those ordering units aren’t working.
• How does the ROI work on these units?  The cheapest iPads are about $500. Add the cost of the case, software and ongoing support, and it must be at least $750-$1,000 per table.  While I can appreciate that there is a great deal of expense in a restaurant already with 58 televisions, the cost of putting iPads and an ordering solution at every table will add up.  There could definitely be a benefit of a perception of customer service, but is it worth it?

I applaud Hubworks Interactive for putting it together and Buffalo Wild Wings for trying something new.  Integrating new technologies into the grind of retail is always a challenge, and the only way to work out the kinks is to try it.  Time will tell if it works out.  I look forward to seeing how these fare in December 2012.

Savvy is a mobile tool to track prices after your purchase to ensure you take advantage of price guarantees.  Just take a picture of the receipt from a growing list of retailers, and the app takes care of the rest.

Domino’s is letting build their own pizzas as part of an iPad game called Domino’s Pizza Hero.  This is definitely a clever way to get into the hearts and minds of the kids who use their parent’s iPads to play.

AT&T has a new Concept Store in Chicago.

Hertz has new check-in kiosks that provide a video link to remote staff to provide a live link to the check-in.

Check out this Superhydrophobic Coating.  It’s touted as a way of protecting electronics from spills but I’m with the guy who wrote it…this could save my clothes.

No matter how much you stay up to date with apps, the app guide is a good read, and there are definitely some useful apps in there, no matter what your personal interests.

Of the 400 apps included, only a  few are retail oriented; 15 by my count.  In fairness, defining retail can be daunting, so I’ve had to use my own reckoning (I’ve counted Netflix and rdio for example – they sell movies and music) and very few are from household “retail” brand names – Amazon, Apple, and Starbucks are the only ones.

Here are the most interesting mobile apps of interest to retailers that made the cut into the app guide:

Kindle – I love Amazon, but Kindle is obviously saving their best efforts for their own devices.  The picture in the app guide is from a Kindle Fire, which is miles ahead of what you get on other devices.  While Apple Amazon and other booksellers  by mandating a cut of in-app sales, the Kindle eBook store accessible via iPad is really an unfortunate user experience.  Kobo’s web store is much easier to navigate and use.  I also think Kobo is doing a much better job in Canada as of late.  Their prices are more reasonable, and the ereader program is comparable to Kindle.

Amazon Mobile – Take the mobile app, scan barcode at store, and get the price for an item from Amazon and add to your cart.  Helpful. Not unique to this app.  Tesco has an app that does the same thing, and Canadian Tire can provide pricing from local store with a barcode scan.  There are many more with notable capabilities – like Meijer’s Findit.

Starbucks – They had to be on there as the pioneer in building a mobile payment system.  The Canadian version is causing me and Canadian users headaches as it seems to be forgetting the login and password.  Forces users to *gasp* pull out their plastic card.  Great app otherwise, and I’m sure that will be fixed.

Apple Store -I’m less keen on the buying capability in the app, but the addition of in store pickup is very handy.  Being able to look up what Apple considers a good aftermarket product also is a useful touch.  More helpful is the ability to book a meeting with a Genius at your local store.  It should be this easy to book appointments with anyone.

Barcode Scanner – It’s an android app.  Not sure why they pushed this barcode scanning price comparison engine.  There have been many others available for years.

Seamless Food Delivery – Network of restaurants to order delivery from your phone.  Great concept.  Not available in Canada, but there are Canadian equivalents for online delivery – no mobile app, but should work on the browser of your mobile.

OpenTable – Reserve tables at your favourite restaurant.  My favourite new features is that you can now save your reservation to your calendar.  A must for obsessive-compulsive types.

Rdio Canada – While it appears to have been around a while, Rdio Canada allows users to play and listen to music in the Netflix model – but with way more content.  Mobile apps are available and it works with airplay.  I’m currently trying it out on a 7 day free trial.  $14.99 per month for unlimited. Great idea for those who don’t have a large music collection already.  Tough break if you are trying to still sell CDs.

Zinio – I don’t buy paper magazines anymore, and this app is the reason.  While there are a few magazines with native iPad apps, many don’t have them.  You can get many of the others here for prices as low as $10 per year.  Immediate downloads on availability.  Very useable reader. Can carry all my magazines with me when I travel.

It’s not terribly surprising that only a few retail brands made this list.  There are thousands of apps, and a top 400 list by necessity will have a lot of things unrelated to a retail experience.  The success of a retail mobile app is not necessarily indicated by being on this list either.

Like any other solution, it’s important to have a benefit to the user and the retailer.  Find a unique need for your clients, and fulfill it.  Many times fulfilling that need will streamline a cost for you.  Do you think it’s more expensive in the long run for Apple Stores to have a web based appointment system interfaced to their mobile app for simple scheduling of technical assistance, or for them just to let people pile into stores at random and get angry when they have to wait for hours to get assistance?

This technology provides a real opportunity to make lives better.  Take the opportunity to help your customers.

The new set of notes are composed of Polymer instead of the traditional paper currency.   They feature a number of new innovative security features, including clear windows in two places on the note, as well as some foil holograms.  From a layman’s perspective, the notes seem thinner, and feel slippery compared to the notes we used to have.  Older notes had a texture to them from the cotton/paper combination they were printed on.    In general, the notes seem very space age, and I fully expect cashiers to be surprised and confused by them for a while.

Canadian retailers should be sure to review the resources for retailers put in place by the Bank of Canada to be prepared for the release of the $100 notes today, the $50 in March 2012, and the $20,$10, and $5 in 2013.

Retailers should ensure that all cash handling technology is able to accommodate the new $100 notes as soon as possible.  Impacted solutions include: note acceptors, note dispensers, and note recyclers on self-checkouts, kiosks and vending machines.  It also includes consideration of note counting and fraudulent note detection solutions.   At the very least, because of the new security features, software updates will probably be required for any solution that has to detect the note electronically.  As notes are not changing in size or shape, there will not be any changes required to traditional cash drawers or cash drawer inserts at present.

Let us know your experiences with the notes.  Once you are comfortable with that, stay tuned for the Royal Canadian mint to update the our coins.

Sears Wish Book for iPad – The catalog updated for today.  Make wish lists and order from directly within the calendar app.  All the fun of the catalog with the connectivity of the 21st century.  Shop from your couch as you were meant to do.  Available on iTunes.

Gifting Books on kobo – Shop online for an eBook, choose to gift it, and an email is sent to your gift recipient.  The recipient clicks a link on the email and the book is delivered to their kobo account so that the can read it on their ereader, mobile phone, tablet or computer.  You can also send an eGift Card so that they can pick their own.

Toys R Us Gift Cards Value Check – Got a gift card to use at Toys R Us but aren’t sure how much is left on it?  Go to a price verifier in store and scan it and the price verifier will tell you how much is on it.   No need to wait in line or have do that awkward dance of cutting in line to just do one little thing.   Also ensures unscrupulous cashiers are telling you the truth about card values without a receipt.  This works in various retailers.  Give it a shot.

Target Gaming Kiosk – Not sure which game to buy for your young gamer?  Want to be sure a title is appropriate?  For cross border shoppers, you can use the Target Video Game Advisor.

BMO Mobile Paypass – Skim a few seconds off your payment process by using the BMO Mastercard mobile paypass to buy lunch on your shopping trip.  Using the card on the back of your phone can save getting your wallet out.

Mastermind Reviews – Not sure what gift to pick up for your little ones?  Before you go to the Mastermind store to take advantage of their free gift wrapping, be sure to visit their website for gift advice and to minimize your time in store.  Mastermind makes great use of video reviews by their store specialists to show you the latest toys including what you get, what it does, and more.

Find things faster at Chapters Indigo.  Can’t find the books you want at Chapters Indigo?  Use the kiosks to find what you need.  If the store you are in doesn’t have the book, you can see which stores have the item in stock so you can visit them immediately.  Alternatively you can order a book directly from the kiosk for shipment home or to the store.

Use Evernote for your Shopping List – When browsing online I constantly see items that would be perfect for that special someone.  If I don’t make a note, that idea will be gone forever.   Make use of tools like Evernote to keep Christmas lists.  Evernote is a free web based service that lets you make notebooks of clippings, links, audio files, and more.   Using an applet in your web browser you can grab a link or even the entire web page including pictures, product details, pricing..everything.  All of your notebooks are accessible on the web, on a tablet or a mobile device, so you can even take the list with you as you shop with all of the details, pictures and prices.   Make a Christmas Shopping notebook, tag any items you add with the recipients name, add some notes, save it, and you have the most detailed Christmas list ever with almost no effort.

Buy a Movie Ticket on your mobile device – If you decide to go to a movie on a whim this holiday season, you can save time in line by purchasing them on the way to the theatre.  Just purchase tickets directly on your mobile device.  Empire Theatres has offered mobile phone ticket purchases for some time.  Cineplex also offers mobile ticket purchases from their app, and even lets you print those tickets at the theatre from a specially designated kiosk in some sites.