First, a tip for searching. In the results we saw, many for "NFC Dubai" sell NFC business cards, which are a different product. Search for "NFC stand" or "NFC review stand" instead.
The questions to ask
Where does the chip's link actually go?
There are two common setups. The chip can point straight at your Google review page or menu. Or it can point at a link run by the seller, which then sends guests on. The first has no middleman but is hard to change later. The second is easy to change but depends on the seller.
What happens if the seller stops trading, or I stop paying?
If the chip points at the seller's link and that link goes dead, every stand you own stops working. Get the answer in writing. Ask whether you can have the chips reprogrammed, and whether the stand keeps working after a subscription ends.
Is it a one-off price or a monthly fee?
Some sellers charge once. Others charge for the stand and then for a dashboard or hosting. Ask for the total over a year or two, so you can compare fairly. We don't list prices here.
Is the chip locked?
Tags often leave the factory writable, and an unlocked tag can be rewritten. Ask whether it is locked when it reaches you, and who can change it. Locking is permanent, so this needs to be the last step. What is NFC? explains the choice.
Is there a QR code as well?
Without one, guests with older phones or NFC switched off have no way in. NFC or QR covers why both help.
Will it work on my tables and counter?
Standard tags can fail on metal. If your counter or tables are metal, or have metal under the top, ask for a ferrite-backed tag and try one first.
Does it send every guest to the same review page?
Be careful with any system that asks guests how happy they are, and sends only the happy ones to Google. Google's policy says businesses may not selectively ask for positive reviews. See Asking for Google reviews.
What about delivery, replacements and a sample?
Ask how long delivery takes, what happens if a stand breaks or a tile goes missing, and whether you can try one in your venue before ordering for every table.
Claims to question
| You may read | What we found |
|---|---|
| "Raises reviews by X%" | The ones we traced came from sellers or anecdotes. We found no independent evidence for any figure. Ask for the source. |
| "Works on every phone" | Not so. iPhones older than the 7 aren't on Apple's list, the iPhone 7 to X need the reader turned on first, phones without NFC can't read it, and NFC can be off on Android. |
| "Opens instantly" | iPhones show a banner to tap first, and Android's documentation says Android 17 shows a notification. |
| "10 cm range" | That is a chip maximum. Plan on touching, or within a centimetre or two. |
| "Lasts forever" | The chip maker specifies at least 10 years of data retention, for the memory only. The rest of the product is separate. |
What we can say about Kyvo today
- Each chip holds a link that Kyvo runs, which then opens your page. That is the second setup above, so ask us the same questions: write to [email protected].
- The counter stand has NFC and a QR code. The table tile is tap only.
- Everyone who taps "Leave a review" goes to the same review page. Kyvo never sorts guests by how happy they are.
- Each button on your page opens a link you choose, like the menu or booking page you already use.
Kyvo is coming soon to Dubai. Join the waitlist and we'll write when it's ready.
Sources
- NXP: NTAG213/215/216 datasheet
- W3C Web NFC mailing list: writable tags
- NXP: AN12339, antenna design guide for NTAG 5 Boost (its introduction, on metal environments)
- Google Maps: user-contributed content policy
- Google Business Profile: tips to get more reviews
- Apple Developer: background tag reading
- Android Developers: NFC basics
- Avery Dennison: NFC tags on metal