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QR codes lack clarity in the UK

| November 27, 2012

 

QR Codes Mobile Commerce UKSurvey shows UK consumers want better QR codes

A new study conducted in the United Kingdom by Hitachi Consulting shows that British consumers are willing to use QR codes, if only marketers and businesses were able to use them effectively. QR codes have become favored tools throughout the advertising industry, with many agencies leveraging the capabilities of these codes to engage mobile consumers. Though advertisers and businesses have shown major favor for the codes, consumers have been less enthusiastic, with some considering the codes garish while others are entirely unfamiliar with them.

12% of consumers have scanned QR codes while shopping

According to the survey, approximately 12% of all British consumers have ever scanned a QR code while shopping. Another 36% said, however, they would be willing to use QR codes if they provided them with discounts, rewards, and more personalized services. The survey shows that younger consumers are more likely to use QR codes if they know they will be rewarded for doing so. Overall, consumers want to see QR codes used in a less ambiguous way so they know exactly what the codes are for and how they can benefit from scanning them.

Young consumers considered ideal target for QR codes

Young consumers, in particular, are an ideal target for QR codes because these people have already shown interest in the codes in the past. These consumers are steeped in mobile technology and have already established some degree of familiarity with QR codes and barcode scanning applications. As these consumers become more prominent in markets around the world, advertisers and companies have been looking for ways to engage them, using QR codes as an effective tool. Surrounding these codes in a shroud of vagueness, however, has proven unattractive for young consumers, who are demanding more straightforward and clear services.

Consumers demand more straightforward codes

Despite the relatively low use of QR codes amongst UK consumers, the codes remain one of the most widely used marketing tools in the advertising space. Marketers consider the codes to be highly effective in their ability to engage consumers, even if these consumers do not actually use the codes. The survey suggests that retailers may have to take a new approach to their use of QR codes if they want to engage a younger audience.

Mobile commerce kick starts holiday shopping season

| November 27, 2012

 

Mobile Commerce ThanksgivingMobile commerce performs well on Thanksgiving day

Mobile commerce has performed well, even ahead of Black Friday. The holiday season has been expected to be a major success for the mobile commerce industry, but this success may be quickly exceeding the expectations of retailers and those invested in the mobile commerce industry itself. According to data from IBM’s Benchmark service, a platform that provides ongoing measurements of the performance of more than 500 retail companies in the U.S., shows that consumers have been eager to kick start their holiday shopping.

Data shows mobile traffic spikes on Thanksgiving

According to the data from the Benchmark service, online sales spiked 14% on Thanksgiving day, with each sale accounting for an average of $132. The data highlights a strong showing from the mobile commerce sector, where a veritable tide of consumers have been using their mobile devices to purchase products online and at the few retail locations that were open on the holiday. The data shows that the number of consumers using a mobile device to visit a retail site reached 26% on Thanksgiving day, up from the 15% it had been in the previous year.

Apple suggests shopping on holidays becoming more socially acceptable

Technology giant Apple suggests that this is largely due to the concept that mobile commerce and shopping has become more socially acceptable on the day of the holiday. In the past, shopping on Thanksgiving day may have been considered somewhat anti-social, if not wholly impossible due to it being a federal holiday. The stigma surrounding holiday shopping may be diminishing, however, as IBM sees a significant uptick in the number of consumers that are actually purchasing products from their mobile devices. Approximately 9% of all mobile traffic is coming from iOS devices, such as the iPhone and iPad, according to Apple.

Data expected to show capabilities of mobile commerce

The data from the IBM Benchmark service shows that mobile commerce certainly kicked off the holiday shopping season, which began nearly 24 hours before Black Friday. Black Friday remains the most important day of the year for the retail industry, however, and the data for such a major shopping day is expected to further show how powerful mobile commerce is becoming with consumers.