Tag: wayfinder ibeacons

Wayfinding software could make visiting retail stores more pleasant. Getting lost in big shopping mall is something that most of us has experienced. Finding what you need might be especially tricky when you are in the shop for the first time and therefore it would be good if you have the mall layout always in your pocket. Our wayfinding software can make it possible! 

For retailers it is important to keep their costumers happy so that they will keep returning. Often they do it by advertising sales, offering loyalty programs or organizing events in stores. We do believe that keeping costumers happy is very important and therefore have developed a solution that makes it easier for clients to find the products they need.

Needs of people are in a constant change and it is important to make shopping as efficient as possible. Finding what we need can be especially complicated in stores that we do not visit every day and are not familiar with the layout of the store. For example those can be a construction or interior design stores. Using wayfinding solutions in such places makes the visit more pleasant and invites the costumer to return.

Using wayfinding solutions based on iBeacons can quickly and precisely locate the costumers in store and help them find what they need. System can be used on mobile and using costumers live location show them the path to find a right shelf and wanted items location on there.

Example how different product groups are visualized on 3D map.

Wayfinding software is useful when costumer doesn’t know where to look for a wanted item. That can be for example gourmet foods – some shops but them together with everything else when others have a separate section for them. It is possible to search for different product groups but also just for one specific item. That way can wayfinding solution benefit both the store and client.

For retail managers using wayfinding software is beneficial and easy. We can offer you different solutions to fit your business strategy. In case you need to change layout on the shelf then there is no reason to worry about that. Changing data in software is easy and anyone can do it without any special technological skills.

It is also possible to create shopping list prior entering malls and wayfinding software can help to create the efficient way to find the items that are on list in a logical order.

Main goal with our developed software is to benefit both the retailers and their clients. Contact us with your idea and we will offer you a solution to make your costumers experience even better!

We have finished installation of approximately 250 iBeacons for mobile app positioning. Although the installation process is easy. There are some tricks and common practises to follow, when setting up iBeacon based indoor positioning.

iBeacons installation

iBeacons are cost effective indoor positioning devices, that are really easy to install. As each iBeacon has it’s own battery, that can last about a year, then there is no need for external power supply. Devices are very light, so it is possible to mount them by using double-sided tape.

Even though the installation of one iBeacon is a simple matter. Overall installation process can be quite long and somewhat physically exhausting due to the constant climbing up and down the ladder/platform.

At first glance it might seem that the device will disrupt the look of the building. But, as we can see from the image below, if you take into consideration the overall theme and look of the building during choosing of the device, it merges into the plethora of different sensors and equipment covering the ceiling.

Before installing devices. It is important to mark down the specifications for each iBeacon device. Each iBeacon has it’s parameters: unique ID, name and range.

It is also a good practice to mark the iBeacons. So that you know you’re installing the correct device to the correct location. For this we used a label printer.

Plan before iBeacons installing

It is good to have a plan before physical installation. We used the map of the building to first draw a layout of the placement of the devices and their coverage area. It is a common practice to have a minimum of 3 iBeacons covering any part of the mappable area for the navigation to work efficiently.

Configuring iBeacons in 3D Wayfinder is also easy. Just create a node with type “iBeacon” and enter iBeacon parameters (UUID, Name etc.). To manage all the devices from one place, open “Beacons” from the left-side menu. You can do this prior to the actual installation when you are confident that your layout will work.

It is highly recommended to install the iBeacons to a height unreachable for the visitors of the building, so no one could easily snatch them. We installed the devices onto the ceiling. For this we used a painters platform that had wheels on them so it is easy to move it around the building. We recommend setting the platform to a height so the person installing the devices could stand up straight and then reach the ceiling without having to stretch too much.

Good time to install iBeacons in a shopping mall is when there are not that many people.

Here you can find more information about using iBeacons with 3D Wayfinder. If you’d like to test iBeacon-based positioning, please submit the request form for demo iBeacons.

Now it is possible to order indoor positioning demo application. For demo we will send you required amount of iBeacons devices and create custom 2D or 3D floor plan. With 3D Wayfinder mobile application it is possible to see indoor positioning with wayfinding functionality.

iBeacons are Bluetooth low energy (BLE) devices that can broadcast their identifier to nearby portable electronic devices such as mobile phones or tablets. Also iBeacons don’t cost much and their batteries can last over year which makes them perfect for indoor positioning.

We can provide you with a custom demo map with pre-installed iBeacon locations. We will also send beacons for the demo floor plan, usually 3-6 is enough for a 1-2 room demo.  

By installing 3D Wayfinder mobile app, you can test and see iBeacon-based positioning on your real building. To order demo map with beacons, please fill the request form.

Read more about 3D Wayfinder mobile app, iBeacons and indoor positioning.