She's A Bar Code Hero

How far can we take consumerism?

How about - too far?

I was just introduced to a new app called "Bar Code Hero." It's kind of a riff on FourSquare, in which users visit a location, ideally over and over again, such as a bar in their neighborhood, earning points towards becoming mayor, earl, king, etc. of that location.

Now you can do the same with products! Yep, with very little effort, I could become the Queen of Spice Drops (or fill in the name of any product you use or consume obsessively).

Let's let the creators explain it:

"Barcode Hero is a social barcode scanner that works with Facebook. Show off your collection and go shopping with friends, scan barcodes to compare prices, follow other shoppers to see their scans & recommendations in real-time, and share your own tips to help others discover the stuff you love.

How does it work?
Barcode Hero helps your in-store shopping by connecting you with helpful information and with other shoppers:
Visit any retail store
Scan a product barcode

Get smarter in seconds:
Recommendations from friends for similar products
Comparison prices & product info from top online retailers
Earn sharable game-like achievements based on the products you scan

Now, I have had the experience of having a friend call me and ask me to check out ABC product on Amazon (the acid test for pricing). How much? How many stars? In other words, can I get it cheaper on Amazon and do people like it?

Well, Bar Code Hero eliminates that phone call, theoretically. Now the same person can check in with Bar Code Hero and find out how the price of the store he's in compares, and see if the product comes recommended by his friends.

I have to say that my immediate reaction to this was: on a cold day will I use this app! But then I got to thinking about it, and realized that there are times when I would find it useful - for example, when I'm debating whether to buy that $15 tube of mascara. Nine cosmetic purchases out of ten are a waste of money - how nifty to be able to check it out before you buy.

Never let it be said there isn't room on the planet for yet another mousetrap!

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