QR codes more familiar with smart phone owners than reports suggest
Perception Research Services (PRS) has released the results of a new survey concerning QR codes and their familiarity among consumers in the U.S. QR codes have become widely used mobile marketing tools, allowing companies to engage consumers that are highly reliant on their mobile devices. The codes have proven capable of providing consumers with valuable information that can influence purchases. Despite the prospects of QR codes, however, some reports suggest that they are rarely used by consumers and that many people do not know what the codes are. This is not the case, according to PRS.
Survey shows mobile shoppers are in tune with QR codes
According to the PRS survey, approximately 54% of consumers surveyed own smart phones. Nearly 76% of these people make use of their mobile device for shopping purposes through mobile commerce platforms. Roughly half of these mobile shoppers use their devices to check prices and do research on products they may be interested in. Electronics and packaged goods are the most common categories consumers focus on while using their mobile device to shop.
94% of smart phone owners recognize QR codes
The survey shows that a staggering 94% of smart phones owners recognize QR codes, with another 44% saying they have used the codes while shopping before. The PRS survey suggests that consumers are not as unfamiliar with QR codes as other research has suggested in the past. The level of comprehension smart phone owners show with the codes may actually be one of the reasons advertisers and retailers continue using the codes so aggressively.
Poor experiences could discourage QR code use
Despite the fact that such a high percentage of smart phones owners know what QR codes are, they may still be relatively leery of using the codes for many reasons. Retailers and advertisers often use QR codes to engage mobile consumers, but few companies actually take the time to test their codes to ensure a positive consumer experience. A poorly implemented code could discourage consumers from using them in the future, and word of mouth often persuades other consumers to avoid QR codes as well.
Despite reports that QR codes are unpopular amongst consumers and are diminishing in popularity, Scan, leading barcode scanner makers, has announced that its scanning application of the same name have been downloaded 25 million times. The company is now offering version 2.0 of its software, which provides a number of new features that are meant to make consumers more interested in scanning QR codes and other barcodes. As in previous versions of the software, Scan touts simplicity as the best way to provide service to consumers.
Software allows consumers to scan various types of barcodes
The new version of Scan is simple to use; users only need to point their mobile device at a QR code or other barcode and the application will do the rest of the work. The scanner recognizes QR, UPC, EAN, and ISBN codes and is available for the iPad Mini and the iPhone 5. The software can even make use of a device’s flash to allow its camera to scan codes in the dark.
Platform can help businesses keep track of QR codes
Scan has been growing steadily for more than a year. The company was founded in 2011 and was able to raise more than $1.7 million in financing earlier this year. Scan provides numerous services based on QR codes, such as code generation for websites, business cards, and billboards. Businesses can use the Scan platform to keep track of the performance of the QR codes they use, allowing them to tweak the reach of their marketing campaigns to better suit the demographic that is using their codes the most.
QR codes growing in popularity as mobile commerce devices
Scan notes that it processes more than 27 million codes every month. This suggests that QR codes are much more popular than some might believe. The codes have been gaining momentum as a mobile commerce tool, which may be part of the reason why they have been seeing more use in recent months. Retailers, in particular, are showing interest in QR codes because of their potential use as a sales mechanism for mobile consumers.
