Target stores are now accepting mobile payments

Target's mobile efforts have reached a new high as the retailer takes the first step towards rolling out seamless mobile payments through 2D barscanning and tracking technology.

Target’s point-of-sale scanners make Target the first major retailer with the ability to scan mobile barcodes in all of its retail locations.

To take advantage of this new technology, shoppers need to currently purchase a physical Target giftcard either online or at the store and save its code information onto a secure account on Target's mobile site. Then, at the point of sale, mobile users retrieve appropriate barcodes to scan at checkout.

It is still necessary for shoppers to buy the physical giftcard either at the store or online but Target is already looking into providing seamless mobile payments to "reload" the value of the giftcard electronically which would completely eliminate the need to carry your wallet when visiting a Target store.

Shoppers may also access their giftcards to add value at store registers and check balances on the go. In addition, this new functionality allows shoppers to save multiple giftcards to their account and label each one for easy reference.

The use of mobile payment through mobile giftcard adoption and "reload" could eventually substitute printed money at the checkout counter for all mayor retailers leading the way for the ubiquitous use of mobile 2D barscaners everywhere.

Other Target mobile initiatives underway worth checking out:
- Target Mobile: shop for products on your phone
- FREE iPhone app: find and update Target gift registries and lists
- Text Messages: receive Target coupons and deals directly to your phone

More:
Target Mobile: http://bit.ly/9Sos4y
More on Mobile Payments: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_payment