Consumers are familiar with the small, squared QR codes on many products and in advertising, but often do not feel motivated to scan the code with their smartphone. A new company aims to not only change the look of the code, but also to make it more relevant so that consumers are more likely to scan.
Visualead and QR codes
Even if consumers do not know what QR code does, they have probably noticed it in various places like in advertising and on products. Those that have used it have been somewhat disappointed in the results and are reluctant to waste time doing it again. However, Visualead wants to change all of that by making QR more useful and even more profitable for businesses. Most consumers are not even aware of what the code can actually do.
New, improved QR code
Those who have seen QR code know the code has little to be desired in looks. The code is often in black and white and is comprised of small squares. The look is not very appealing. In most uses, these are scanned to give more details about a product or service but they rarely went any further than that. Some offered sales information and some are used for rewards programs, but consumers mostly ignore them. Visualead has devised a new, much more appealing appearance for QR code by blending it with the company logo while still keeping the components needed to make sure the code works.
The trick for Visualead has been to make sure the code and image are appealing without rendering the code useless. They have worked code into artwork and Logos for many well-known companies and even into pictures intended for use on Facebook. Visualead saw more than 300,000 scans in a very short and very limited test run.
Off and running
Investors have taken notice of the success of that limited trail run. Thanks to that success, Visualead has secured substantial backing and has begun the search for advertisers and companies that could benefit from what they have to offer. Not only could the new QR code be good for the typical uses, it could also, through the work of this company, see a consumer from introduction to a product to a final sale, all through a simple QR code scan.
IBM data shows that the companies that stand to benefit the most are not taking advantage of the opportunity.
According to data from IBM, manufacturers and retailers could take advantage of tremendous opportunities being offered by m-commerce, but are not prepared to do so to its fullest extent.
These organizations are not adequately positioned for effective movements within this environment.
According to IBM global electronics leader for global business services, Paul Brody, “I don’t think that either of them is well positioned to have a leadership position in the pocket of the consumer.” He expressed this opinion at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year. He gave the m-commerce example of Square, which is a technology provider that allows consumers to make mobile payments at stores using their smartphones. This would allow for a hands free transaction.
For m-commerce this is the “prototype for the always-on, zero user-interface experience,” said Brody.
He took the mobile payments example to the next level by saying “Now imagine this technology for comparison shopping,” and added that “You are in the grocery store and they send you a message saying, ‘Why don’t you grab that roll of toilet paper because it is cheaper than anywhere else.’ I’m not sure that the retailers and typical OEMs have the technology and experience to focus on mobile vehicles to do that.”
According to another speaker at CES, the interactive marketing firm, SapientNitro’s chief experience officer, Donald Chestnut, explained that the behaviors consumers while both online and in-store is quite different from the way that they shop when they are sitting at their home computers.
He elaborated by pointing out that there are big box retailers that are now looking into this behavior and that are making efforts to leverage it by providing their associates with iPads so that customers within the store will be able to gain more information from the employees.
A recent m-commerce survey conducted by SapientNitro and GfK Roper showed that 70 percent of American retailers would like to be able to boost their shopping experience in-store. That said, when smartphone owning consumers were asked what they wanted, their response was that they would like more mobile friendly store flyers, to have downloadable in-store navigation apps, and the ability to use their devices for making payments.
