PriceSpider.com has released a bar code scanner for Google’s Android devices to help consumers make better buying decisions while at a brick-and-mortar retail location.

The application, officially titled Mobile Shopper, was launched to help the everyday consumer. Mobile Shopper finds the best deals by analyzing product information and serving the prices of competitors.

“The goal of the Mobile Shopper application is to empower mobile users to make informed buying decisions,” said Chadd Nervig, senior software engineer at PriceSpider.com, Irvine, CA.

PriceSpider.com is a price search engine Web site that lets consumers search online retailer Web sites for product pricing and related information such as descriptions, pictures, reviews, and stock information.

The application was made through a partnership with Amobico, an application developer.

My savings-sense is tingling
After a consumer scans the bar code of a product, Mobile Shopper sends the user prices from hundreds of online retailers. Mobile Shopper also lets consumers get a list of local retailers with driving directions, see product reviews and create a wish list.

Consumers can also sync the wish list with their PC Web PriceSpider.com account, view the price history of a product and set up price alerts.

Deals can be shared via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as email.

The primary demographic is consumers who are looking to buy consumer electronics, books, movies, games and music.

Mr. Nervig said PriceSpider.com is working hard to expand its product coverage.

The application features no advertising at the moment and it is free to download.

PriceSpider.com has monetized the application by sharing in the commission on any sales made through its affiliate partners.

Bar code ease
Mr. Nervig said bar code reading is very important to mobile commerce.

Mobile Shopper uses bar code reading software to identify a product, eliminating the need for a user to manually enter the product information into the mobile device, in order to find the product in question.

Mr. Nervig said 2010 is looking very promising for mobile commerce.

“As mobile devices get more powerful, we’re able to provide users with more advanced and rich features,” Mr. Nervig said. “However, there’s still a lot of work to be done on the online retailers’ end in order to complete the purchase of an item on your phone.

“There are certainly sellers like Amazon leading the way which already have this ability,” he said.