The aim is to get the Android-powered device to blur the line between physical shopping and online shopping. RedLaser allows users to search for products online and locally, via voice and image recognition.
RedLaser works in two ways: first, it finds products once the application is activated and users say the product’s name. Secondly, it scans the barcode of a product once told to do so and finds the product online. Purchases can be completed via mobile device or computer.
For eBay, Q2 2014 research reveals that 59% of customers shop across multiple screens. Wearable technology is expected to go in the direction of payments, with a focus on image recognition.
The app RedLaser already exists for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone as a barcode scanning app. It was acquired by eBay from a startup called Occipital in 2010, and was then updated with a location-specific search when eBay acquired Milo.
Google Glass is still in a testing phase and it is not yet known when the final consumer version will be released to the public. Other Glass apps have been released that use the device for commerce, including Eaze, with which users can nod to pay to complete a transaction.
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