Author: Rebecca

QR codes are expected to make a splash in 2013

| December 22, 2012

QR Codes 2013Stores made out of quick response barcodes are going to be a big hit next year.

A growing number of retailers are bridging the gap between their physical brick and mortar shops and the digital universe through the use of QR codes.

This year, more than three hundred 2d barcode stores popped up all over the world.

As impressive as that may sound, it represents only a fraction of the number that are already in the works for next year. At the moment, more than 2,000 stores based on QR codes are already being planned for launch during 2013.

As mobile devices achieve greater penetration, retailers are finding better uses for QR codes.

Chains of retailers and supermarkets have been seeking a way to span the gap between the real world and the online environment, and QR codes have handed them an affordable, simple, and increasingly recognized way to accomplish this goal. It is also allowing them to bring virtual stores into real life, where they can sell products which are depicted in images virtually anywhere – on billboards, on walls of train stations, in a magazine ad, or even on the product, itself.

Consumers simply need to scan the QR codes related to the product that interests them in order to call up the page that will allow them to quickly order it and have it delivered to their homes. The trend has been taking off and is expected to reach an explosive level next year. Among the primary companies driving this trend is a Dutch internet startup called Shop2Mobi. It gives retailers the ability to create their quick response barcode stores from the ground up.

According to the Shop2Mobi co-founder, Roman Markovski, “Offering customers ultimate convenience, both offline and online, is a huge trend.” The QR codes are already being used by companies worldwide in order to sell their products. They include everything from small businesses to large international corporations such as Walmart, Tesco, Best Buy, and PayPal.

The U.K. and Amsterdam were also the home of special popup stores based on QR codes. These digital malls in the middle of city centers were opened by John Lewis and eBay this year.

Social media marketing from Facebook and Pinterest most successful offline

| December 19, 2012

Social Media MarketingThese two industry leaders are generating more in store action than other networks.

A new social media marketing survey conducted by ACTIVE Network has revealed that 47 percent of social network users have taken offline action in some way following an interaction on one of those sites.

These actions consisted of such behaviors as making a purchase, meeting someone, or participating in an event.

Social media marketing and consumer behaviors from five networks were examined within the survey. They included Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn. Among them all, it was determined that Facebook was the greatest driver of offline actions. In fact 87 percent of the users of that site had taken part in at least one offline action as a result of an online interaction there.

The second social media marketing position was taken by relative newcomer, Pinterest.

Pinterest’s social media marketing generated offline action among 70 percent of its users. Next was LinkedIn, with 60 percent, then Twitter, at 56 percent, and finally Google+ at 37 percent. The ACTIVE Network study was entitled “Beyond the Click”.

Also determined through this study was that Facebook and LinkedIn were the leaders in social media marketing that brought about personal connections and meetings in person. These two networks frequently led to meeting offline as well as building direct contacts. In fact, 70 percent of the users of Facebook have gone on to make direct contact with someone because of an interaction that had occurred on the site. Comparatively, 56 percent of LinkedIn users experienced the same result after an interaction on that network.

Similarly, among Facebook users, 40 percent had actually met someone in person because of an interaction that had occurred on that website, where 25 percent of LinkedIn members had done the same thing for that reason.

When it came to event attendance, the leaders were Facebook and Twitter. At Facebook, 58 percent of users had attended an offline event following social media marketing on that site, whereas 31 percent of Twitter users had done the same thing because of what they’d experienced on that network.