They’re meaningless hieroglyphics to some but for those in the know, QR codes allow retailers to engage with customers via their smartphones
Why are we talking about them now?
QR (Quick Response) codes have been in use in Japan for some time and are now taking off in the US and appearing more frequently in the UK.
What are they?
A QR code is a ‘specific matrix barcode’ - or two-dimensional code, which is intelligible to QR readers, which are available on most smartphones. QR codes push the user to a website, video or other content that the creator of the code has developed.
Who has been using them?
The codes are often put in magazines by businesses such as retailers, enabling readers to scan them for a voucher or to see multimedia content. In the UK, B&Q has been quick off the mark with QR code technology in newspapers. The retailer promoted a series of how-to videos with QR codes. B&Q, aware that this technology is unknown to many, also included information on how to use the codes.
Debenhams, Waitrose and Aldi have also used QR codes in stores, on TV and in print with varying degrees of success.
How can retailers use them successfully?
QR codes enable engagement with customers by driving them online. Often this will be as part of a marketing campaign and may allow customers to take advantage of mobile coupons. Retailers can include QR codes in various media, not just print marketing. They could be used on product labels, to make very detailed information available to the customer, in store windows to provide geographically specific information such as opening times, and even on till receipts, offering a voucher to be used on the shopper’s next visit. There are also opportunities for tie-ins with existing loyalty schemes.
Successful campaigns rely on two things. First, the reward for scanning the app must be compelling: it can take about 30 seconds to scan a code and if customers are disappointed they will be reluctant to scan a second time. Second, retailers must ensure they use QR codes with a tracking code so that they can measure the effect.
What is the expected impact of QR codes?
With the increase in smartphone usage in the UK, QR codes present a potentially excellent, and simple, way to drive customers online and back into stores. Recent research by Scanbuy in the US showed an 800% increase in scans year on year, a number likely only to increase.
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