Interested in knowing more about QR (short for Quick Response) Codes? That mystical looking square barcode that seems to be popping up in all sorts of places these days?
According to Fall 2011 research findings by Chadwick Martin Bailey:
- 79% of us have never heard of a QR code – but 81% of us know a QR code when we see one
- 50% of all smartphone owners have scanned a QR code – 50% haven’t
- 18% of those who scanned a QR code indicated they made a purchase and that the scan was part of the purchase process
- 21% of those who scanned the code shared the information they received with someone else
- 70% of of those surveyed reported QR codes as ‘easy’ to scan
- 44% of men and 36% of women found QR codes useful – overall 41% indicated the information they obtained was useful
Magazines and newspapers were indicated as the top source (at 35%) for those who’ve scanned a code.
The reasons for scanning QR codes varied with 46% of respondents indicating they were ‘Curious what it would do’ and 41% saying they did it ‘To get more information’. A mere 18% did it ‘To take advantage of a discount or coupon or free gift’; 16% ‘To gain access to exclusive content’ and 6% ‘To buy something’.
But don’t let the latter numbers fool you! While QR codes have been around for twenty years they are only now becoming mainstream, thanks to the Smart Phone. In 2012 watch for growth in the number of businesses (especially big business, hopefully small business too) using QR codes and a significant jump in the number of people using QR codes to find deals, information and much more.
QR codes offer endless opportunities for visionary businesses to grow their brand through print media and online, for those who take the time to become familiar with how they work and to think creatively about how best to use them.
Click on ‘9 Things To Know About Consumer Behavior and QR Codes‘ to download a copy of report by Chadwick Martin Baily or scan the ‘SCAN ME’ QR code on the right side of the page.
Click on ‘QR Codes Gaining Ground With Consumers and Brands‘ for an article that includes examples of marketing campaigns run by Heinz, Starbucks, JC Penny, Phillips & Company, and South Korean Supermarket giant Tesco.
Interested in some of the history on QR Codes? Check out this link at Wikipedia.