Today, retailers must go the extra mile to make sure their customers have unique in-store experiences. They have to be clever enough to appeal to new customers, retain their existing ones, and keep both interested in their products. One way retail stores can accomplish this is by using QR codes. These permit retailers to link their brick ‘n’ mortar store easily with their online visitors.
What is a QR Code?
A QR code is one of the most well-known kinds of 2d-barcodes in circulation today. They were initially utilized by the motor vehicle industry in the early 1990s to track the development of a vehicle through the fabrication process. QR codes are designed from a pattern of black squares configured on a white background. The code can retain data much like a regular barcode you see on an article of clothing or on food products that are scanned at the checkout counter for information about price and other data. The QR code pattern has the possibility of retaining much more data than typical barcodes. The kind of information and size of the code determine how much data each code can hold. A QR code that symbolizes solely arithmetical data can retain up to 7,000 characters! Additionally, QR codes are unique storage ciphers that can store much more than arithmetical data.
QR Code Extras
Mobile phones permit retailers to connect with their customers and QR codes supply the interactive means to accomplish this. QR codes can easily direct a retail establishment’s customers to their Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking accounts. For example, a QR code could take customers to a mobile e-commerce site or a product demo. QR codes are indispensable when a retailer has online campaigns, advertisements, or TV commercials.
5 Ways Retail Stores Can Use QR Codes:
1. Incorporate QR Codes into the Makeup of Shop Window Displays
This concept completely transforms the idea of “window shopping” by giving consumers access to a huge amount of product information such as videos and reviews. Intriguingly, even after a store has closed, shoppers can utilize the QR codes directly from the window display to access product and brand information.
2. Use QR Codes to Improve Promotional Campaigns
Before, viewing a full-page advertisement of a brand’s most recent product in a magazine was an uneventful experience. Putting a QR code onto a magazine ad fundamentally increases brand awareness and consumer interaction.
3. Alter Shopping Experiences Inside Stores
Some larger stores have taken on the QR code concept by adding codes to product packaging. This will become more popular and will certainly effect the way shoppers browse around stores. For example, a consumer browsing through a music store could scan a QR code on the packaging of an artist’s CD cover and view a plethora of information, listen to tracks off the CD, watch the latest video, purchase tickets to shows, and much more!
4. Link Customers to Discounts
QR codes can be used to encourage customers to purchase products by relaying valuable information and alerting them to upcoming sales, unique promotions, and offering them an interactive view of new products on the way.
5. Gather Customer Information
Retailers can utilize QR codes to capture important customer information. For example, retailers can include a simple sign-up feature on the QR destination page to encourage visitors to enter their email address for special deals.
About the author:
Kristen Gramigna is Chief Marketing Officer for BluePay, a credit card processing company that provides retail credit card processing services. She has more than 15 years of experience in the bankcard industry in direct sales, sales management, and marketing.
