Luggage and travel goods e-tailer eBags has launched an app-enabled ID tag that helps travelers track their lost bags. Dubbed as the eBags Connected Luggage Tag, the e-tags can be updated remotely by travelers allowing allowing them to control personal information they would like to display on the tags and when.
Unlike static tags, which cannot be updated once the luggage is lost, e-tags can be updated anytime via an app to reflect the correct location, new address, or any other changes to personal information.
“Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, lost luggage can ruin a trip,” said Mike Edwards, CEO of eBags.
“We wanted to leverage cloud-based technology to help travelers avoid hassles and preserve their privacy—it’s a small effort on our part that can make a huge difference for our customers.”
eBags Co-Founder and EVP Peter Cobb added, “As a company, we’ve always been about creating connections; between people and places, and between people and their favorite travel products. Using technology to make those connections easier is the natural next step for us.”
While the eBags app is free, and is available for Apple and Android mobile phone, the eBags Connected Luggage Tag retails for $4.95. The e-tag, according to the company comes in 14 designs.
How to use the tag
After filing in the contact information on the app, and giving a unique name to the bag, it can be linked to the tag (attached to the bag) in one of three ways: by scanning the QR code, tapping the chip on the NFC-enabled phone, or entering the Tag ID listed on the e-tag.
Should a customer notice that a bag goes missing, they simply use the app to mark it as lost, then take a moment to confirm or update their contact information. When somebody finds the bag, all they have to do is scan the QR code or visit the URL on the tag to get in touch using the eBags app.
The company claims that thousands of e-tags have already been sold during the few weeks of the soft launch of the product.
Earlier in May, this year, the e-tailer launched IoT enabled and Bluesmart luggage for connected travelers. The luggage, has an inbuilt charger, and comes with a digital lock that can be remotely operated via an app. It also has a location tracking system; a digital scale, which informs the traveler about the weight of the luggage on the app; distant alerts which notify proximity’ and real-time reports with trends and data from trips — including miles traveled, airports visited, time spent in each country. The information can be availed on the Bluesmart app.