Social Media Integration into the GS1 Framework

Social media has changed the way content is generated on the web. Rather than being just passive consumers, users became active participants by sharing information, experiences and opinions with each other. In parallel, with the continuous growth of the number of smartphone users, brand owners are being faced with the challenge of integration of social media and smartphone technologies to effectively connect and engage with their consumers. To contribute in this direction we propose a solution for integration of social media into the GS1 framework based on the existing architecture of the GS1 MobileCom/B2C solution. In addition, we provide detailed architecture of the components and tools involved in the proposed ‘Social Media Content Provider' which should be integrated as a new building block into the GS1 architecture. Finally, we evaluate the validity of the solution by discussing the opportunities emerging from the presented approach for both, brand owners and consumers.