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Do Consumers Actually Use QR Codes?

by Ryan David
39 replies
I know that people keep talking about QR codes, but I'm wondering if consumers actually use them that much? I know a lot of people know what they are, but even friends that have had iphones for years still don't actively use QR codes.

I've seen all the creative ways of using them in ads or whatever. I can see maybe if you see a product that has one and wanted to check it out later, then you scan it and save it for later. But for the last 5 years, whenever I wanted to checkout a product later, I just took a picture of it and looked it up later.

What am I missing? Do consumers actually use these things regularly or are they just something that Fast Company and Inc magazine likes to write about?
#codes #consumers
  • Profile picture of the author Alfred Shelver
    I think of QR codes as a the next big thing...... Imagine you knew about adwords 11 years ago, or used email marketing before email advertising was looked at as spam or ignored and was still a novelty you could have made a fortune.

    Because of WF I knew about QR codes almost 2 years ago and thought back then 'I know something that very few people know about that I think will be huge'. Ever since then QR codes have become exponentially more mainstream.

    As consumers wise up and more and more non techie smartphone users learn to use QR codes the trend will be common place, and as much a part of daily life as emails are, IMHO.

    So I think we IM savvy people are still at the the begginings of a QR code revolution and can capitalize if we use a little lateral thinking.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ryan David
      Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver View Post

      I think of QR codes as a the next big thing...... Imagine you knew about adwords 11 years ago, or used email marketing before email advertising was looked at as spam or ignored and was still a novelty you could have made a fortune.

      Because of WF I knew about QR codes almost 2 years ago and thought back then 'I know something that very few people know about that I think will be huge'. Ever since then QR codes have become exponentially more mainstream.

      As consumers wise up and more and more non techie smartphone users learn to use QR codes the trend will be common place, and as much a part of daily life as emails are, IMHO.

      So I think we IM savvy people are still at the the begginings of a QR code revolution and can capitalize if we use a little lateral thinking.
      Yeah, but are people actually using them on a regular basis. I see more articles being written about them, but I don't know anybody that actually uses them.

      It kinda reminds me of the Occupy Wall Street movement. You had this huge buildup and spike due to curiousity. And then after that, it went back to "normal" levels.

      To me, it seems like the growth in popularity is more due to a snowball effect of coverage..and not actually people using them.

      Or am I wrong?
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    • Profile picture of the author jbnet86
      Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver View Post

      I think of QR codes as a the next big thing...... Imagine you knew about adwords 11 years ago, or used email marketing before email advertising was looked at as spam or ignored and was still a novelty you could have made a fortune.

      Because of WF I knew about QR codes almost 2 years ago and thought back then 'I know something that very few people know about that I think will be huge'. Ever since then QR codes have become exponentially more mainstream.

      As consumers wise up and more and more non techie smartphone users learn to use QR codes the trend will be common place, and as much a part of daily life as emails are, IMHO.

      So I think we IM savvy people are still at the the begginings of a QR code revolution and can capitalize if we use a little lateral thinking.
      Agreed- Had the pleasure of introducing my Non-Techy wife to what a QR Code is last week while out to eat at Applebee's. Can't say she will ever use them much but the more knowledgeable the general public becomes a little at a time the more effective they will become.
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver View Post

      I think of QR codes as a the next big thing......
      ...invented in 1994.

      Just sayin'.
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      • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
        I work part time in a shop and a couple of weeks ago the first products arrived in store with QR codes, bags of potatoes. When I pointed out the QR codes to the rest of the staff they looked at me as if I was batty. Just wait until they see customers scanning spuds into their phones, I won't be the only one that's batty then.
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  • Profile picture of the author ArwenTaylor
    I agree. I think a lot of people don't use QR codes simply because they don't really know what they are. Also, don't you have to have a phone that can read QR codes or can download an APP? If so, then that also narrows the field quite a bit. Not a lot of people can afford high end phones right now.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by ArwenTaylor View Post

      I think a lot of people don't use QR codes simply because they don't really know what they are.
      I'm sure this is right.

      I think I know what they look like, and I could see one and identify it as "a QR code", but I don't understand what they are at all, and I don't think I even know anyone (outside this forum, I mean) who understands what they are.

      I even looked them up, once (I can't quite remember how, now - maybe in Wiki or just with a Google search, or something) and after a page or two, I still didn't understand what they are, and thought better of it.

      For an internet marketer, I'm a bit of a Luddite. I'm still trying to work out what "Web 2.0" means, except I've got far enough with that one to understand that it doesn't matter anyway, and that no two people use the term with the same meaning, either.
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      • Profile picture of the author DogScout
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        I'm still trying to work out what "Web 2.0" means, except I've got far enough with that one to understand that it doesn't matter anyway, and that no two people use the term with the same meaning, either.
        I know what you mean. I think I finally figured it out after 3.0 was introduced. Lol.

        QR Codes are simply image links or image discount coupons just like a square bar code. Waving a smart phone with the browser on over a QR image is supposed to be the same as if you had entered a URL and gone there, but much quicker and easier. There are advanced uses, but most people haven't caught on the even those two yet.
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  • Profile picture of the author DogScout
    Just a matter of time until people get used to them and enough apps get made to correlate them. No more clipping coupons... every time before you go to any check out, just search for QR discount codes on your smart phone and present the page to be scanned. Save money on any item on sale anywhere.

    If you have an app that will constantly find and store them, (based on your shopping preferences), it becomes very easy to save some bucks. Personally, as more people use them, the discounts on QR codes will lessen, so hope not too many do ever use them because the discounts now are killer. (Shop at some grocery markets, get $200.00 worth of groceries and they give you money!)

    Hi, Cathy
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    • Profile picture of the author Ryan David
      I guess I see the value of QR codes if they are a replacement for clipping coupons. So you see an ad, scan the code, it organizes into a category, you can rifle through them in the grocery store, and then the cashier scans some "Master" code you have on your phone that applies any coupons loaded into your phones that are a match.

      But I'm not even sure if that's the way it works or could work.

      But other than that, I don't really see how Joe Sixpack uses QR codes in their everyday life.
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  • Profile picture of the author lakshaybehl
    Originally Posted by Ryan David View Post

    I know that people keep talking about QR codes, but I'm wondering if consumers actually use them that much? I know a lot of people know what they are, but even friends that have had iphones for years still don't actively use QR codes.

    I've seen all the creative ways of using them in ads or whatever. I can see maybe if you see a product that has one and wanted to check it out later, then you scan it and save it for later. But for the last 5 years, whenever I wanted to checkout a product later, I just took a picture of it and looked it up later.

    What am I missing? Do consumers actually use these things regularly or are they just something that Fast Company and Inc magazine likes to write about?
    I'm a consumer.

    Right now I don't.

    -LB
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  • Profile picture of the author PatchesDM
    QR codes are a REMARKABLE form of advertising, especially if you don't label it, then people get curious and just scan it. (;
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Doud
    I think they work in a curiosity way right now.

    The tech has not made them easy enough yet. They are still a bit of a hassle to use all the time but in the coming years as the tech gets better I think we will see them more.
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  • Profile picture of the author pacelattin
    QR codes are used by teenagers, they love 'em.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jeff Henshaw
      When I am a consumer or potential purchaser, I have used them, but only in the "TV and electric goods market". The reason is that they allow me to see the full details and specifications of the item, such as a TV, being offered.

      There is no other simple way at the moment IMHO, to display the benefits, features and technical specifications in such detail for an item displayed on a shelf in a store.

      I have not used them myself in IM by the way.

      If the younger generation like them, especially in the consumer market, then they will be the future (until superceeded). If the young don't take to them, then they will be restricted to specific areas or niches where they are of use and value, but die out in the main stream.

      Just my thoughts,

      Jeff.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alfred Shelver
    Hi Mark great to see you on here......

    Caliban I think I did hear somewhere they were invented quite a long time ago.
    But think about the wheel it was invented thousands of years ago but only started reaching its full potential with the invention the internal combustion engine.

    QR codes are entering a time when all the conditions are becoming perfect for QR codes to explode in popularity. Not just smart phones, but iPads and other tablet devices make using QR codes very practical. Also I am not very creative but I can think of quite a number of unique ways to use QR codes, imagine what others will figure out.
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by Cathy Shelver View Post

      only started reaching its full potential with the invention the internal combustion engine.
      I think the Roman charioteers might argue with you on that one.

      The problem with QR codes is exactly what excites people about them: they can do anything.

      Which means they do nothing.

      When you really think about it, QR codes are hyperlinks in the real world. You point and click your phone the same way you'd point and click your mouse, and then a web site opens.

      You know how people are always saying "don't click links in your email" because of, you know, viruses and spam and whatnot?

      How do you know that QR code doesn't point at goatse or lemonparty or meatspin?

      Well, chances are, you don't.

      Do you honestly think the marketing world is going to establish a QR code standard or some other security measure to allay public fears BEFORE some troll prints out a few thousand QR code stickers pointing at pornography or whatever, then sends out a small army of disaffected teenagers to slap them up all over the place?
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      • Profile picture of the author fluffythewondercat
        Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

        You know how people are always saying "don't click links in your email" because of, you know, viruses and spam and whatnot?

        How do you know that QR code doesn't point at goatse or lemonparty or meatspin?

        Well, chances are, you don't.

        Do you honestly think the marketing world is going to establish a QR code standard or some other security measure to allay public fears BEFORE some troll prints out a few thousand QR code stickers pointing at pornography or whatever, then sends out a small army of disaffected teenagers to slap them up all over the place?
        Too late. It's already happened.

        "Hackers are using QR codes as a tool to direct mobile phone users to Web sites containing malicious code and infect mobile devices with malware."

        Hacker says

        In fact, I would say the only reason we haven't seen a plethora of such attacks is that QR codes are NOT widely accepted. For once perhaps the general population is showing good sense.

        fLufF
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  • Profile picture of the author barbling
    I read that QR codes are 'the next big thing' here in the US, but are already viewed as ad-blinding over in Japan.

    CNN did a short on them:
    CNN Takes Aim at QR Codes

    Why QR Codes Aren
    Will 2011 be the year QR codes explode in the USA? – ShareSquare Blog
    has some ideas why they haven't yet reached the big time here.

    Hope that helps!
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  • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
    I guess my post didn't go through earlier, but here we go.

    I have two QR codes on my business card. I have one on the front that takes them to a "About Me Hub" that I made. It has a link to my FB, Twitter, my email, and a few sites like my writing site from there. On the back I have another that will automatically input my information into their phone and a short explanation of what the QR codes are and how to use them. I have gotten great results.

    My favorite part of the QR code? Some of the less tech-savvy are in love with them when I'm doing my offline thing, or even when I'm not trying to offer services. I went to a new restaurant in my town, was a Mexican restaurant that just opened. I like to introduce myself to new business owners, this being a very small town and myself liking to network. I gave him my card and he asked about the code. I borrowed my friend's phone and showed him and he was amazing.

    He had an idea of how to use him in his business and paid me rather well to help him.

    First, he put one in his take home menus. When someone scans the code they get taken to a page with that day's special and a coupon that you can only get from that page. He also has a Facebook like button.

    His Facebook has been growing and a small new Mexican restaurant that I feared would not make it, like most new restaurants around here, is becoming very well known. I think the way he connected it with Facebook really did it.

    I'm really glad it is helping too, since the food is 10x better than the food at the other Mexican restaurant in town!

    EDIT: I was just reminded of another promotion I saw back in March using QR codes. I am a huge fan of Japanese anime and so are a lot of my friends. Every year there is a huge convention in Seattle we go to so we can reconnect and have some fun.

    Last year there was a girl that was trying to get known. She was drawing her own manga (Japanese comics) and also making plush dolls. She came with buckets of small pins with QR codes printed on them and started giving them to everyone she saw. The QR code took you to her Twitter.

    These pins were super popular. Everyone had one! Everyone was talking about QR codes and how neat they were, collecting these pins to take home to their friends. I saw hundreds of people throughout the weekend scanning the pins and seeing what was up with her. I can only assume with such targeted advertising she saw a huge boost in business.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Well, here are a few reasons not to bother with them just yet.

    5 reasons you're probably wasting time with QR codes — Tech News and Analysis
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  • Profile picture of the author bostoncitymass
    At the end of the day it comes down to marketers being ahead of the trend and the U.S. being late to the party sometimes. People thought email, texting, facebook, twitter, THE INTERNET, doing business on the web, were all silly novelty ideas........how did all that stuff work out?

    QR code use is going to pick up, especially in the retail world. People will be scanning codes all over the place so they can get a coupon and the company can get their name an email.

    The key is to recognize the trend and stick with it. They are already big in other parts of the world, and the U.S. as a whole can sometimes be a little late to the party, so it will take some time to build traction but you will see an increase in their use.
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  • Profile picture of the author xaby
    qr code has been around for sometime but when i pass by any adverts, i never use them.

    if you are into mobile advertising or technology, this is interesting too:

    Starbucks Augmented Reality App Animates Holiday Cups

    augmented reality.
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    • Profile picture of the author fluffythewondercat
      You have to point your phone's camera at 48 objects in the store to get the animation to work?

      Does Starbucks think we have nothing better to do? If they want to "surprise and delight" me, they can get my drink order right consistently. That'd be a shocker.

      The problem with this promotion, QR codes and the like is that marketers are assuming we smartphone users love to play with our phones all the time.

      fLufF
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      • Profile picture of the author CherryPicked
        Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat View Post

        You have to point your phone's camera at 48 objects in the store to get the animation to work?

        Does Starbucks think we have nothing better to do? If they want to "surprise and delight" me, they can get my drink order right consistently. That'd be a shocker.

        The problem with this promotion, QR codes and the like is that marketers are assuming we smartphone users love to play with our phones all the time.

        fLufF
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        So, I'm new...first off...hi!

        As for the assumption that we smartphone users love to play with our phones all the time - well - MANY of us are! Mine is in hand almost all day. It's never far from me, that's for sure. My bestie and I text around 4,000 messages to each other a month. Just the two of us. Not counting anyone else. We send pictures constantly rather than describe anything or tell a story. Many people I know are the same. My phone supplies my music for my car, my alarms, my emails, contact with others, entertainment...you name it. I don't write anything down anymore, most info is snapshotted and stored in Evernote.

        I never, never go shopping without it. Coupons, membership cards, price and product comparisons...all done with my phone.

        And QR codes? My 66 year old mother finds them beyond thrilling to scan with her Android. I taught my 78 year old great aunt to do the same on her iPhone. They teach their friends. It's spreading though old people from the younger generation!

        No, they may not be THE biggest and best thing ever, but I wouldn't completely discount them completely just because YOU don't use them personally.

        Remember, they're now giving away smartphones as the 'free' phone. Assimilation is near!
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        • Profile picture of the author All Night Cafe
          I don't use them, I think learning about them by in March I
          tried to show some of my offline customers what they
          could do.

          It was interesting that no one seemed interested. I didn't
          push them on the subject, just left them thinking that
          down the road we would talk about them again.

          I've only seem them used in public rarely, I think they will
          catch on but just not sure when. I'll keep watching for
          results before I tell my customers again.
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          • Profile picture of the author Eric2011
            Younger generation just love everything to do with their cell phone. QR code makes their life much easier, so they embrace the technology without hesitation.

            Last time I saw somebody show it in the restaurant for coupon redeeming. That is a successful QR campaign.

            Also I found some QR code on the weekly sales flyers delivered to home. This is a total waste of ink! All the sales pitches are already on the flyer, why do I bother to waste my time to scan the QR code?

            QR code is powerful tool, but consumers just need a reason to use it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce Myron
    The article "5 reasons you’re probably wasting time with QR codes" referred to above seems to be saying that, unless EVERYONE will use the codes, they should not be tried.

    So what if only 60% of phones are smartphones? What does it matter if the process may be confusing to some - the point is that it is another marketing channel that is very effective with some people. In an era when many traditional marketing channels are losing their effectiveness, businesses have to realize they need exposure in every channel they can find!
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    • Profile picture of the author fluffythewondercat
      So what if only 60% of phones are smartphones? What does it matter if the process may be confusing to some - the point is that it is another marketing channel that is very effective with some people. In an era when many traditional marketing channels are losing their effectiveness, businesses have to realize they need exposure in every channel they can find!

      Wow. Where to start.

      One problem -- one of many -- is that today's apparently 20-something marketers are encoding useful information in QR codes on products, thus making it unreadable to those who don't scan them. Forcing compliance in this way never works.

      Plus QR codes often hog scarce space on mailpieces. I can't tell you how many direct mail items I get per week that have the bloody QR codes on them. I have no idea what the marketer is trying to say and no interest in finding a Rosetta Stone to decipher it.

      QR code usage flies in the very face of effective marketing communications. It's the equivalent of putting up product billboards written in Latin. The arrogant assumption that people will go to the effort of trying to decipher them is puerile.

      I could go on...

      fLufF
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  • Profile picture of the author absolutelee
    I think that QR codes are going to keep getting bigger, but that they will probably be replaced with something else. There are too many variables that they depend on right now. For instance, most people still don't know that they need a QR code reader on their phone and where to get it.
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  • Profile picture of the author AmandaT
    They are worth using in my opinion, but only if you are willing to put up a short sentence or two explaining what to do with it.

    Most 16-25 year-old people I know DO scan QR codes provided they have an idea of what it will do. You can't just put it out there and expect people to want to scan it!

    Look at those examples I provided earlier. One had an incentive, the coupon, as well as an explanation of how to use them. It helped them secure long term business by putting that Facebook like button right in front of their faces. It also got people talking.

    Those pins? Offline viral marketing! Now that I'm thinking more about it I may just DM her on Twitter to see exactly what her results were.
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  • Profile picture of the author bl
    They are not big right now and I think that is because no major company has used them in a way that has gotten them increased customers or sales. If something big happens where a big name store would use them and then report tons of sales or new customers from them, I think they would take off. Right now, they are just seen as something to have but it is never needed nor does it provide benefit.
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  • Profile picture of the author DallasK
    I posted a thread a couple of days ago with a story from
    ABC News about QR Codes.

    Looking Beyond QR Codes

    Looking Beyond QR Codes - Yahoo!

    screen.yahoo.com/looking-beyond-qr-codes-27211066.html


    And Dee Kumar replied with a cool video about how Tesco
    used the technology to become the leader in their market.

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  • Profile picture of the author Flyingpig7
    QR codes are just becoming more commonplace here in the UK as all newspapers have them and cereal packets those are the two I've noticed.
    I don't own a iphone but I do expect that fairly soon all other new phones will have this technology within them. As a lot of people in the Uk have a contract (usually 12 -24 months) when the contract ends most people, I included upgrade our phones. So I'm looking forward to trying these out much better than being emailed a coupon I'd much rather just show my phone picture of the coupon in shops.

    Amanda T & Darklock are right there are all sorts of uses you can put QR codes to, like directing viewers to your Youtube video, send instant details of your website; saves me having to write it down ;-} (Ok that's lazy, hey but so are many people; do you think if you provide them your QR code of your web address people will:

    A) write it in a notebook OR B) scan it !!) It's limited only by your imagination.

    Sure there are probably hackers trying to think up ways of ruining the experience but before long there will be safety rules for usage, that's the risk you take for using new technology.

    Keren
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  • Profile picture of the author UMS
    DallasK beat me to it with the Tesco video.

    I think the widespread uptake of QR Codes outside Korea/Japan will take a couple more years, but it will come.
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    • Profile picture of the author rwdomainmonster
      In 40 posts nobody mentions airline checkin? How many times have you been somewhere and checked in online but were unable to print your boarding pass? Well now your boarding pass can be a QR code which you display on your phone and wave in front of a scanner at checkin.

      The tipping point is coming and soon people will wonder why it took so long to adopt QR codes.

      But the security implications do really worry me. I'd like to invent a new word - hackstamping - where you print out a malicious QR code on self adhesive paper and then stick it over the top of a real QR code. Plenty of people will scan the malicious code. I hereby grant non-exclusive, non-transferable rights to all Warriors to use this word at no charge
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