IELM, HKUST

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Barcode in Hong Kong

• IELM, HKUST
• 2008

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Outline

• Introduction
• Project objective
• The use of barcode
• What is missing in Hong Kong
• Action plan
• IELM 550
• The deliverables

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Introduction 1/2

• Barcode
• A bar code (also barcode) is an optical
  machine-readable representation of data.
• barcode 11-14 digits
• Different structures
• E.g. UPC - retail

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Introduction 2/2

• HK Barcode
• GS1
• Former Name The Hong Kong Article Numbering
  Association
•  Only organization in Hong Kong authorized to
  issue GS1 and EPC identification numbers for
  different trading items, locations and parties
• Member gt1 million companies 108 member
  organizations 150 nations/economies
• GS1 involves
• Industrial forums
• Industrial Projects
• Workshops
• Provision of membership and services to industry

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Project objective

• Explore the full potential of barcode in retail
  in Hong Kong and beyond.

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Applications of Barcode in SC 1/3

• Barcode used in every stages

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Applications of Barcode in SC 2/3

• SC and inventory tracking and control

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Applications of Barcode in SC 3/3

• Ease the checkout of products UPC
• Show prices, quantity
• Stock out
• Promotion coupon
• Barcode coupons can be delivered to cell phones.
  Customers can redeem them at retail locations
  using standard barcode scanner.

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Barcode for Consumer 1/5

• Tracking products information
• Internet hyperlink
• Barcode in Japan

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Barcode for Consumer 2/4

• Case 1 food
• - e.g. allergic to peanut in soy milk (gene)

• Case 2 medicine
• - contain heavy metal (e.g. mercury)?

• In both cases, buyers may want to know more
  regarding
• Origins of raw materials
• effects of major raw materials
• Government regulatory materials
• Allergic reactions/side effects
• Details of quality checking
• etc.

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Barcode for Consumer 3/5

• Use barcode to represent personal information of
  end customers
• Applications
• Buy tickets on cell phones (movie/concert..)
• Obtain boarding pass
• Identity Verification

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Barcode for Consumer 4/5

• Buy tickets on cell phones
• Hong Kong use credit cards, pay at arrival and
  obtain tickets
• US pay online, print confirmation letter, scan
  the barcode on the letter, obtain tickets
• MBO (Mobile Box Office)
• Pay on cell phone, obtain barcode, scan the
  phone screen

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Barcode for Consumer 5/5

• Obtain boarding pass
• Scan barcode from cell phones

• Identity Verification
• Identities check before allowing the holder to
  enter
• sports arenas, fairgrounds, transportation
  etc.

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What is missing in HK?

• All stages of Supply Chain except Consumer
• Missing barcode applications for consumer
• The way for Consumers to get information
• How to get consumers information
• Consumers Demand
• Retailers Service supply

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Enhancement 1/2

• Software
• Compatible to cell-phone
• Develop Update
• Cost
• Hardware support
• Cell phone with camera (Common)
• Camera resolutions?

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Enhancement 2/2

• Network Telecom support
• 2G? 3G? 4G?
• Speed
• Database Issue
• Information required by consumers
• Maintenance update
• Accuracy of information?

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Benefits 1/2

• GS1
• End-user information
• Identity Verification Money Back card of
  Parkn Shop
• E-tickets
• More cooperation
• Telecommunication E-tickets via MMS
• .com access hyperlink database
• Software hardware Cell phone or other medium
• Standard provider bridge
• Add more value
• Consumer
• More SC information
• Food content, medicine description
• Decision making
• Other parties in SC
• Feedback of end-user information
• Consumer behavior
• 3rd parties
• Software, Network, database Cell phone

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Benefits 2/2

• Supply Chain Information sharing

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Action plan

• Information collecting
• Internet
• Site visit
• Interview with lead users
• Technology-oriented Retailer
• Young consumers
• Expertise
• GS1
• Technological professional

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Action plan

• 2 stages Questionnaires
• 1st,Potential applications
• 5 points scale
• (From want to Not want)
• Example
• 1. Know food origin
• 2. Know Medicine allergy from package
• 3. E-ticket on Cell-phone
• 2nd, Problem with Selected ones
• 7 points scale
• (From strongly disagree to neutral, to strongly
  agree)
• Example
• 1. I want to have cell-phone with camera
• 2. I want to know more information about by
  cell-phone at any time.
• 3. I would search info online before buying.
• Data analysis
• Decision making (AHP, Analytical Hierarchy
  Process)

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Action plan

• Subjects
• 20 lead users
• Apparatus
• Cell-phones with camera
• Existing identification software
• Potential product with barcode
• Existing database support
• Objective evaluation
• Speed-accuracy tradeoff
• Factorial Design
• Different barcodes (sizes) and resolutions of
  camera
• Time and errors
• Subjective evaluation (User satisfaction)
• 7 points scale with comments
• Fromm Strongly Disagree to Neutral, to
  Strongly agree
• For example
• 1. The barcode is easy to be scanned.
• 2. The cell-phone is easy to scan
• 3. The information is enough

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Action plan

• Weekly meeting
• Regular Communication
• Stanford
• GS1

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IELM 550
IELM 550
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v
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International Cooperation

• Stanford University
• US Market information
• Comparison with HK
• Applications in US
• Compatibility with HK
• Further discussion

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The Deliverables

• A comprehensive final report
• Description of the goals and expectations
• Description of present status
• Demand Identification
• New applications description
• Technology review
• Expertise
• International (US) market information
• Usability test
• Evaluation of existing software and hardware
• Recommendations for improvements
• including description of risk and uncertainties
• Business model with promotion plan
• Implementation timetable with major milestones
• Supporting documents

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Overall schedule

• From Jan 9th to Mar 20th, 2009

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Thank you!Q A