I was at the drugstore buying train tickets, waiting for a cashier, staring blankly at the magazine covers, and realizing theyre possibly (like many paper publications) doomed. So whats going to replace them? There is apparently a thriving market of people who will pay to read about movie-star marriages, home makeovers, and weight loss.
So I tweeted When paper magazines are gone, what will they have by the checkout counters?.
The People Speak
Did I ever get answers. Here they are:
Jhoon Saravia: QR Codes? Tap to buy e-magazines?
Aaron Patterson: probably more batteries and candy.
Trace Gilton: Fresh fruits and vegetables? :) Nah
Kevin Taylor: Digital displays with NFC tags.
Anthony Ortenzi: Valium dispensers by the self-checkout counters that drive everyone nuts.
Leonard M. Witzel: Probably disposable e-readers.
Mark Atwood: television displays tuned to celebrity trash channels, next to the candy and gift cards
Denham Crafton: Tabloids, or QR/NFC stickers that link to magazines on Google Play.
Kevin Lipe: If you buy into the movie Idiocracy as prophecy, probably ads for Ow, My Balls and Carls, Jr.
Ari Turetzky: displays with the magazine cover art and a big ass QR code so you can "buy" that issue
dreampipe: more candy
Justin Shoffstall: Just magazine covers.
The Network Hub: More chocolate bars!
Steve: digital ad screens. Like in cabs. Maybe tied to the RFID in your loyalty card? Oh. & maybe more prepaid card space.
Ceara Shoffstall: More candy. Just less eye-candy.
Fernando Ribeiro: Maybe there won't be counters either.
Pepe: Android phones
Brad Harder: we've already got it. obnoxious displays spewing infotainment and ads. #gasPump #groceryCheckout
Lazu: display screens
Christopher Mahan: ammo.
Ricardo Bánffy: I fear the most for paper books. @merlyn offered to crypto-sign my e-books next time we meet, but it won't feel the same.
Michael Novak: qr codes on placeholders that link to the digital version?
BottleRocket: More chapstick
Romit Mehta: App ads with NFC/QR codes?
Adam Lea: more junk food
Michael Salinger: Screens flashing virtual mags that you can buy via an NFC tap.
caparsons: NFC tags and candy?
Beau Phillips: last generation Kindles, IPods, Nexus7's and video screens showing worse content than in elevators today
John Gruber: Candy.
Trevor Bramble: Farmville gift cards.
Justin MacCarthy: At the checkout counters, they will have NFC devices, that allow you to fill up your phone, tablet & media center with content.
brad_porter: Mmmm twix.
Elliot Murphy: battery chargers and rhinestone encrusted cases
Jacob Tjoernholm: Here in Denmark it's 80% candy anyway. And 5% condoms and 2% pregnancy tests ;-)
Chris Swan: what makes you think there will be checkout counters to not have magazines at? (The future of exchanging value)
James Roper: what checkout counters? Don't you mean checkout page?
Chris Norton: gift cards for e-magazine subscriptions
What I Think
Im with Michael Salinger: Im thinking a big rack-size display with lots of magazine covers on it; you tap your phone to the one you want and get to read a few pages (just like you can browse the mags while you wait right now), tap again and its on your mobile.
But who knows, maybe the people who doubt that therell even be checkout counters have it.