A bar code scanning and information retrieval system is integrated into a consumer electronic device that has an otherwise main and different function or purpose. Location determining technology, or a user interface through which location-specific information is provided, may be added to the bar code scanning and information retrieval system. A user may readily obtain information regarding the vendor at the location where the product is scanned and other vendors of the scanned product in the vicinity of the scanning device. Information can be provided to the user concerning nearby vendor location, maps to these vendors and product pricing and availability at these vendors, for example. Scanning and memory capability can be provided in connection with a non-Internet-ready portable consumer good and that scanned information can be subsequently transferred to an Internet-ready device by means of removable memory. Scanned information pertaining to a primary product may be used to obtain information from a web site regarding secondary consumer products that are related the to primary consumer product. Scanning a product code may automatically link a user to a web site or other location on a computer network, such as the Internet, which provides information related to the product whose product code was scanned. Thus, scanning the bar code acts as an instruction to a web browser to access a web site associated with the scanned bar code.