The QR code, or that two-dimensional futuristic bar code you have probably seen in the corners of posters or advertisements, has a number of different applications. It is used as a form of marketing and also as a way to deliver coupons or rewards to those who scan it with their smart phones. However, there are also a number of unique ways QR codes can be used to acquire or deliver gifts to people. Below are some fun and unique examples of QR code gifts out there.
Buy a Drink or a Cup of Coffee
Starbucks, among other stores, is using QR codes to make buying a cup of coffee much easier, or buying someone else a cup of coffee more quickly. A pre-loaded card can be linked through a QR code to their phone app to pay more quickly, allowing them to avoid long lines and just walk in with the person they are buying a cup of joe for, pick it up and continue their day.
Gifting Wine
Many wine bottles now have QR codes on them, allowing people to not only have a list of their favorite bottles of wine, but also scan the QR code and gift a bottle or a case to someone right from the meal they are finishing. While giving a bottle of wine has become somewhat of a standard gift, giving it this way isn’t.
Personalized Gift Giving
Some major retailers have added QR codes to gifts during the holiday season to allow people add personalized messages, replacing the need for a small, awkwardly taped on card. JCPenney was calling this the Santa Tag, which was a QR code sticker that could be scanned and would deliver a personalized voice message for the recipient of the gift.
The Gift of Music
Music can be gifted to people via QR codes as well, via Spotify, as a mix can be made and then sent to a friend, family member or special someone. A greeting can be created with a QR code attached and then sent directly to them, linked through the Spotify app.
