A famous American comedian, Mitch Hedberg, once commented:

“I bought a doughnut and they gave me a receipt for the doughnut. I don’t need a receipt for the doughnut. I’ll just give you the money, and you give me the doughnut, end of transaction. We don’t need to bring ink and paper into this.”

I wonder what Mitch would write today. In the last 10 years paying at a store has become a complicated process.

Instead of simply handing the cashier an appropriate amount of money, buyers now have to navigate various credit card and e-payment options, points-back systems, loyalty programs, bagging options, and the occasional “have you downloaded our app yet?”

It makes sense: a lot of money has been invested in creating the Native App, and engaging offline customers at the point-of-sale (POS) is seemingly the easiest way to increase their app’s ROI. The main drawback, though, is that the process doesn’t work very well. It asks too much of the customer and gives little in return.

Apps, by design, take time to access. They require the customer to scan a QR code, download the app, and create a profile or open an account. Most people aren’t willing to go through the process at the POS, especially if they have other engagements, errands to run, or young children with them.

Miniapps, on the other hand, were designed with engagement and simplicity in mind. To use a miniapp (LINE, Messenger, Web), customers simply scan a QR code, and they can start using the miniapp right away. There are no downloads or sign-ups involved. The whole process takes less than 3 seconds.

Instead of asking, “have you downloaded our app yet?” - Which has no clear call to action or incentive, we challenge businesses to ask, “Would you like to scan here for a coupon to use on your next visit?”

From a cost, ROI, engagement, and LTV perspective, a miniapp at every checkout just makes sense.

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