I’ve talked many times before about Microsoft Tag. And now that Tag has officially moved from beta to fully released product (this happened months ago; but I’ve gotten way behind on my blogging and just now catching up) I wanted to highlight some of the new capabilities. But more importantly, I wanted to showcase some of the use-cases in which Tag is a great fit for the retail world.

• Provide Fast Access to More Information: Give visitors to your brick and mortar stores immediate access to the same types of in-depth product information they have come to expect online.
• Engage with Consumers via Ads: Use Tag in print advertising to create fun and interactive experiences for consumers and make it easier for them to buy.
• Enhance Couponing: Add interactivity to your couponing campaigns and take advantage of the dynamic flexibility of Tag to change offers on the fly.
• Integrate Sales Channels for a Unified Experience: Connect various sales channels, including your brick and mortar stores, online stores, and catalogs to provide a more cohesive experience for shoppers.
• Create Interactive Gift Cards: Let customers easily check their balance, find the closest store, or view or listen to a message from the gift giver – and turn those interactions into merchandising opportunities.
• Personalize Interactions with Your Customers: Tailor experiences for your customers by gathering information about them and make the most of your loyalty or membership programs.
• Monitor Your Tag Campaigns via Built-In Analytics and Reporting Capabilities: Understand your interactions with consumers via Tag – including the performance of individual Tags and Tag categories – and use what you learn to dynamically update promotional materials.

These are only a few ideas. The possibilities for using Tag in retail are limited only by your creativity. Tag can help launch interactive experiences from your signage, promotional materials, catalogs, and other items, and it can help integrate your sales channels to provide a more unified experience for your customers.

In addition, the potential for transforming gift cards and personalizing interactions with customers is practically endless when you use Tag and its built-in analytics and reporting functionality.