Q&A

What is Parousya?

Parousya Connected Commerce is a privacy-conscious software-as-a-service that helps brands connect with their customers in a more personalized and intelligent way. It uses Bluetooth beacons to provide location-based experiences through a brand's app, and offers the option for users to remain private or reveal their identity. When a customer enters the range of a beacon, a session is automatically created between the host and the customer. This allows the host to engage with the customer in real-time, offering personalized and relevant content or experiences.

Why did Parousya build the Parousya Adalo Components?

Parousya team has chosen to integrate our technology into the Adalo No-Code platform to make it accessible to a wider range of users, in addition to coding professionals and app developers.

How much does Parousya cost?

Parousya Automatic Connected Commerce is now available. Please sign up » for a free account to get instant access to the Free Tier. The Free Tier offers everything you need to build powerful new in-person marketing and digital experiences and offers:

• 2,000 check-ins per month Capped Plan

• No Overage Charge

• No time limit

• No credit card required

How do I use Parousya in my Adalo app?

The Parousya Adalo Components allow Adalo makers to create Adalo Actions from Parousya events, and use Parousya Component Data via Adalo Magic Text to enrich the app user experience.

Where is Parousya analytics data stored?

Parousya events and component data can be stored in Adalo Collections and can be viewed in the Parousya Customer Portal Dashboard.

How does Parousya manage user privacy?

Parousya technology prioritizes privacy and allows users to choose whether or not to share their personal information with a brand. Users can opt in to using the Incognito mode, which allows them to control when and where they reveal their identity. Participation in this technology is voluntary, and users can easily turn off Bluetooth if they do not wish to be detected.

Is Parousya secure?

Parousya technology takes strong measures to protect user information and privacy. It includes several security measures, such as secure encryption, and does not gather data about user identities. This helps to ensure that user information remains confidential and secure.

Does Parousya share my data?

No, Parousya takes security and privacy very seriously and is committed to earning its customers' trust. As a result, it will never share customer data with any other companies. Further details are available at Terms & Privacy.

Which beacon suppliers are currently compatible with Parousya?

Parousya Connected Commerce currently uses Estimote Bluetooth beacons. However, the company plans to expand the list of compatible beacon suppliers in the future. Parousya will be happy to consider alternative beacon suppliers on a case by case basis. Please Contact Us if this applies to you.

How do I purchase Bluetooth beacons?

You can order the Estimote Proximity Beacons (development pack of 4) at https://order.estimote.com/

What's the difference between connected commerce and proximity marketing?

Connected commerce involves integrating various technologies to create seamless and personalized app user experiences for consumers when they enter smart spaces. Proximity marketing is a subset of connected commerce and uses location-based technologies to deliver unsolicited messages and offers to nearby consumers.

How much do Bluetooth low energy beacons cost?

Parousya does not offer Bluetooth low energy beacons for sale, but it is possible to purchase them from other sources. Prices for battery-powered beacons start at around US$20 and typically have a lifespan of approximately two years, with some models featuring replaceable batteries.

Does Bluetooth Low Energy scanning significantly deplete a smartphone's battery life?

BLE Beacons typically advertise at a rate of 5 times per second, but smartphones do not constantly scan for BLE signals. For instance, in Android's "balanced" scanning mode, there is a 1024 ms scanning window within a 4096 ms interval, resulting in approximately 3 seconds of downtime between scans. In "low latency" mode, scanning is continuous, with a 4096 ms window every 4096 ms.

Moreover, the process of scan results moving from the BLE chip, through the BLE driver and OS-level services, and finally to the app can introduce additional latency, which can vary between different smartphones and OS versions.

When the app is active and in the foreground, the OS and/or Parousya Adalo component tend to employ more aggressive scanning settings for an optimal, responsive user experience. Nevertheless, the battery consumption remains relatively low in comparison to the power drawn by the display or LTE radio.

In the background and out of range of beacons, the app typically won't be running or executing code, conserving a significant amount of energy. The OS will continue scanning for beacons on the app's behalf, and modern smartphones can do this quite efficiently by delegating most tasks to the BLE chip and allowing the CPU to sleep. However, this may result in a slight increase in latency, as the OS and/or Parousya Adalo component typically utilize lower-power scanning settings.

What factors influence the range and distance estimations of BLE signals?

BLE signals are 2.4 GHz radio waves transmitted by beacons at a specific strength, commonly referred to as Broadcasting or Transmit (Tx) Power. As the radio wave travels farther from the beacon, its strength decreases. The BLE receiver captures the radio wave using its antenna and converts it into usable digital data. As the signal weakens, the chances of successful conversion diminish. The "max range" of the signal is determined when the error rate or packet loss reaches certain levels.

Received signal strength is known as RSSI. By comparing the RSSI to the original signal strength close to the beacon, one can approximate the distance the signal has traveled. This approximation is more accurate closer to the beacon (± a few meters) and becomes less precise as the distance increases.

The maximum range and distance estimations are influenced by:

• Receiver characteristics, such as sensitivity, antenna placement and polarization, and the material of the receiver's case, which can affect the signal.

• Environmental factors, as BLE radio waves can reflect off walls and objects or have their strength absorbed on the way to the receiver. Water, metal, and glass are particularly problematic, and it's worth noting that the human body is about 80% water.

Parousya's Zone Distance (m) parameter allows app developers to set a zone radius in meters from the beacon to trigger events. However, it's important to remember that these numbers provide only a rough approximation.