Merkle, an innovative technology company, unveiled two app-less and contactless shopping products this week at CES 2022.

The company touts the tools as “the first app-free in-store and on-delivery contactless shopping experiences.” COVID-19 may have encouraged the no-contact features, but consumer behavior prompted the creation of the tools. 

Scan & Know gives shoppers the ability to find information about the products while in the store shopping.

It’s an appless tool that enables shoppers to scan any item in the store from their mobile device to instantly learn more about product details and prices, add items to wish lists and registries, and have products shipped direct to their door. It integrates into any website, customer profiles, and loyalty programs, as well as with major ecommerce platforms such as Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, and Shopify.

UnboxIt allows retail brands to connect with shoppers when they arrive at the store, with a goal to increase product registration, community engagement, and customer satisfaction. Using their mobile device, consumers can connect to instructions, content, and other customer support programs via a QR code on the outside of the package.

The products are the newest additions to Merkle’s ShopNXT collection of innovations for retail focused on helping brands create intelligent shopping experiences, and increase loyalty and sales.

White Rock Soap Gallery is among the first retailers to test the products. Merkle is in talks with other companies, from beauty and gaming, to entertainment and luxury.

The products collect data, so Merkle can use anonymous data to determine the use, actions, and when people “drop-off,” stop of slowdown, as part of the journey.

During the past year-and-a-half, some consumers have turned to online shopping, but still desire the in-person experience of shopping and exploring new ways of locating information.

Seventy-eight percent of U.S. smartphone users will not download an app to continue a transaction, and $98 billion a year is left behind. The idea is to let Scan & Know and UnboxIt retailers create personalized, connected, and contactless experiences in the store.