What Is NFC and How Does It Work?

What does NFC mean?

NFC stands for Near Field Communication. It is a wireless technology that lets a compatible phone read information from a nearby NFC tag, usually within a few centimeters.

You may already recognize NFC from contactless payments. Review⚡️Zaps uses this technology to share your review link when a customer brings their phone close to your NFC Product.

How does NFC work with Review⚡️Zaps?

Your NFC Product contains a tag that stores the link you save during setup.

When a customer holds a compatible phone close to the tag, the phone reads that link and allows them to open the page. Depending on the phone, they may need to tap a notification to continue.

For example, if you save your Google business review link to your NFC Product, customers can access that page without manually searching for your business.

Tapping opens access to your review page. The customer still needs to write and submit their review.

Does the phone need to touch the product?

Physical contact is not required, but the phone must be close enough to read the tag. “Tap” is simply a convenient way to describe bringing the phone near your NFC Product.

The position of the NFC reader varies between phones, so you may need to adjust the phone’s position slightly to get a response.

What is the difference between reading and programming a tag?

These are two different uses of NFC:

Programming, or writing: Saving your review link to your NFC Product during setup.
Reading: Using a phone to access the link already saved on the product.

The NFC Tools app is used to program your product. Customers with phones that support automatic NFC tag reading can access the saved link without opening a separate NFC app.

Does every phone support NFC?

Many iPhone and Android models support NFC tag reading, but some older devices and certain models do not. On Android phones, NFC may need to be enabled in Settings.

Compatibility depends on the specific phone, so check its NFC capabilities if it does not respond.

Can the same NFC Product be used repeatedly?

Yes. Reading the tag does not remove the saved link. Your NFC Product can share that link with customer after customer, and Review⚡️Zaps does not impose a tap limit or require a subscription.