What happens when a customer taps
NFC stands for near-field communication. A passive NFC tag stores a small instruction that a compatible phone can read at close range. When the customer places the phone near the active area, the phone can show a prompt to open the encoded destination.
The tag does not need a battery or external power. It does not submit a review, collect a rating, or write content. The customer still controls the phone and decides whether to continue.
Phone position, NFC settings, nearby contactless objects, and some cases can affect a tap. That is why a visible QR fallback is useful on a public counter.
What happens when a customer scans
A QR code visually encodes a destination. The customer opens a compatible camera or scanner, points it at the code, and accepts the prompt to open the link.
QR performance depends on contrast, print quality, size, quiet space around the code, lighting, and scanning distance. A code should be tested after it is placed into the final design—not only as a clean digital file.
Current WhyILike stands include both interaction paths on the same display. If one method is inconvenient, the customer can use the other.
Tap and scan are access events—not reviews
The interaction has distinct steps:
- The business provides a neutral review opportunity.
- The customer taps or scans.
- The phone offers to open a link.
- The destination loads.
- The customer independently decides whether to submit a review.
A tap, scan, or link open does not prove step five occurred. Avoid reporting hardware interactions as completed reviews unless a platform provides reliable, policy-compliant attribution.
Direct links and managed redirects
A physical tag or printed QR code can contain either a direct Google link or a managed redirect.
| Link model | Main advantage | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Google link | Fewer services between the product and destination | Replacing a changed link may require reprinting or re-encoding |
| Owner-controlled managed redirect | Destination can be updated while the physical product stays in place | Depends on the redirect service continuing to operate |
Current WhyILike stands arrive with NFC and QR pointing to a WhyILike activation route. The buyer creates a free account, selects the destination, and can update it later. That link-management function does not require a paid software plan while WhyILike operates.
Optional paid software can support additional workflows, but it is separate from the hardware purchase and is not required to keep the current stand’s managed destination active.
How to set up a stand correctly
1. Select the exact location
Confirm the public Google Business Profile name and address. A multi-location brand should keep separate destination records so a customer does not land on the wrong branch.
2. Activate the managed link
Use the WhyILike activation flow to select the intended destination. Keep the account under a business-controlled email address rather than an individual employee who may leave.
3. Test NFC and QR separately
Do not assume one successful method proves the other. Tap the stand and scan the code using representative phones, then confirm the same intended location opens.
4. Choose the placement
Place the stand where the service naturally ends and a customer can reach it without moving equipment. Avoid hiding the code behind a register, plant, brochure holder, or glare-heavy barrier.
5. Assign routine ownership
One staff member or role should confirm the stand is present, clean, and pointing to the correct destination. Multi-location teams should record a last-tested date for every device.
Current WhyILike stand facts
The current stand is designed for indoor counter use and includes:
- Passive NFC and a visible QR code
- No battery or external power requirement
- A display face 104 mm wide by 160 mm tall, approximately 4.1 by 6.3 inches
- PVC and PMMA construction
- A unit weight of 3.2 ounces, excluding shipping packaging
- Black and white choices
- Plain and custom-logo variants
- One-, three-, and five-pack purchase paths
- Written quote support for 10 or more units
Live product pages control current price and availability. WhyILike does not claim that every phone, phone case, browser, network, or Google interface will behave identically.
A simple staff script
Technology should make the invitation shorter, not more forceful:
If you’d like to share an honest review, you can tap your phone or scan the code here.
Give the customer space, accept a decline, and do not watch them choose a rating. Never offer an incentive, request five stars, provide review text, or show the review opportunity only to customers expected to be happy.
When a free digital QR code is enough
A downloadable QR code may be enough for a temporary test, a printed instruction sheet, or an owner who already has a suitable display. Use the free WhyILike QR-code generator after confirming the destination.
A physical stand is more useful when the prompt needs to stay visible, stable, and repeatable at the same counter. Choose the format from the workflow rather than assuming hardware is always necessary.