7 Successful Ways To Use QR Codes In Ecommerce | Ecommerce & QR Codes

With the advent of technological advancements, the majority of businesses have resorted to focusing more on marketing to promote their brand. Thanks to social media marketing, Google Ads, and Facebook ads, for solving the problem of marketing on a larger scale.

The next problem to be conquered by businesses is to streamline and automate marketing and sales. The solution to this problem is very simple and has already been adopted by many popular eCommerce stores...Amazon, the giant of online stores has deployed it too!

Want to know what the solution is?

QR Codes...

Over the last two decades, QR codes have evolved and gradually found their way into all the activities of the business, especially sales and marketing.

It’s time for your business to leverage this technology to unleash the potential of your eCommerce store.

Before we proceed to describe benefits of using QR codes and the successful ways to use them, let us first understand what QR codes are and how they work.

What Is a QR Code?

QR codes have originated from Japan. The abbreviated term QR stands for ‘Quick Response’. These codes are quickly read by digital devices, especially cell phones. QR codes enable people to take the information from a label, webpage, or even a magazine page, etc., and transfer it into their cellphones.

How Do QR Codes Work?

QR codes work similarly to a barcode. Just like a barcode, a QR code is also a machine-scannable picture that can be read by using the built-in camera of a smartphone.

You must have seen numerous black and white squares and dots in a QR code. These dots and squares contain data. The data can have numeric, alphanumeric, binary, or even Chinese characters.

When a person uses his smartphone’s camera to scan the code, the data is converted into information that can be understood by the person. For instance, upon scanning a QR code a person views an image or video on his cellphone.

How To Create A QR Code?

There are two unique ways to create a QR code. The first method involves learning QR code language. Whereas, the second method is to take help from search engines.

There are myriad QR code generators available in abundance on the internet. All you have to do is to log on to Google or Bing and search for QR code generators. Select the one and then in the respective fields enter the text, web address, contact number, SMS, or any other information that you want to make scannable.

That’s all you have to do!

The rest will be taken care of by the code generator. With a click of a button, you can download your QR code or embed the code in your webpages.

Advantages Of Using QR Code In eCommerce

1. They Can Be Used As A ‘Call-To-Action’

A marketing strategy without an effective call-to-action (CTAs) will not generate the desired outcome. QR codes provide an excellent opportunity for your business to link call-to-action. People can scan the code and they will be allowed to email or call you without even dialing your number or entering your email address.

Providing CTAs for contacting the business improves customer satisfaction and allows them to connect you with more ease.

2. QR Codes Promote Sharing And Networking

QR codes can be used by a business to link a smartphone to the ‘Share, Like, or Comment’ button of the business’s Facebook page. And that’s not it. You can invite your customers to visit your other social media profiles such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram by linking your profiles.

Instead of waiting for the followers to come to your page and engage, simply provide them with a QR code and they will be at your business page in a matter of a few seconds.

3. They Can Enhance Your SEO

Did you know that a QR code can fulfill your dream of welcoming heavy traffic on your website? Simply link your QR code with the web address of your website. Your customers will be brought to your site by just scanning the code on their smartphones.

If an entrepreneur wishes to increase his conversion, then without traffic it is not possible. Thanks to QR code businesses can now easily receive heavy traffic and improve SEO.

4. You Can Measure Their Effectiveness

QR codes not only helps in connecting with your customers or to reach a wider audience, but it also helps the businesses to measure how effective they were. It can give the result to the entrepreneur based on the leads and clicks.

Many online services provide the facility of generating QR codes that will enable the marketer to share shortened links. They are not only easy to share but also provide resourceful insights about the effectiveness of QR codes.

5. Ease For Customers

In today’s era, time has become a luxury for everyone. People are always running around the clock to meet deadlines and get their work done. They do not have time to log on to your website, visit your social media profiles, or get in touch with you over a call or an email. But, thanks to QR codes they can easily do all the things just by scanning the QR code on their smartphones.

No need to remember the web address, profile, or contact number of the businesses. Just scanning the code will bring them closer to you.

6. They Connect Your Online And Offline Media

Do you want the audience who come across your printed advertisement on magazines and flyers to visit your website?

If yes, then instead of mentioning the web address or contact number (which the customers are likely to forget) print a QR code on your offline media. Your potential audience can easily reach you by scanning the code.

7. Promotes Creativity

The majority of the brands refrain to use QR codes as a part of their marketing because their colors do not go with their branding. If you too think the same about the QR codes, then we would strongly suggest you change your perception about the QR codes.

You can change the colors of your QR code and make it go with your overall branding style and make your business the talk of the town.

If you are planning to use QR codes for your eCommerce but have no clue HOW to use them, then don’t worry. Keep reading this article to discover 7 successful ways to use QR Codes in eCommerce.

7 Successful Ways To Use QR Codes In Ecommerce

1. Social Media QR Codes

To increase your brand awareness and become renowned in the online market, a business needs to have a good number of followers on its social media profiles.

QR codes for social media allow a marketer to link all the social media profiles of the business, in one roll. This will make it easier for people to have access to all of your profiles rather than searching for each profile individually.

By generating social media QR codes, you can easily cross-pollinate your account. It means that your audience on Facebook can follow you on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. Upon scanning the code, all the social media sites will be displayed to the person.

To make your social media marketing success it is important to have a huge following and engagement on your social networking sites. QR codes are a perfect way to increase your following and increase the rate of engagement on your posts.

2. Print QR Codes On Product Packaging

A brand that is honest with its customers and provides them insights about how its products are made and distributed, is sure to retain a lot of customers.

By adding a QR code to your products, you can lead your customers to your YouTube video that shows how your products are made, packaged, distributed, etc. Or you can print the QR code on your products to let your customers read the reviews posted about your products on the website or social media profiles.

This can result in customers becoming more loyal to your brand and continue to shop from it.

3. Link The QR Code To Your Website

Do not leave the chance of bringing the audience from offline media to your online media. By providing a QR code on printed media you allow more people to visit your website and increase the traffic.

When businesses place their ads on printed media, they provide links to their website and social media profiles. Unfortunately, people do not remember the links that they come across. But, scanning the QR codes is pretty easy and they can visit your website without having to remember anything.

4. Offer Discounts And Loyalty Points At Checkout

If you want your customers to download your app or follow you on social networking sites, then you must offer them something in return.

By placing a QR code that links to the play store/app store, or your social media profiles, you can invite the customers to scan the code and receive discounts on their purchases.

You can also provide them with redeemable loyalty points for scanning the QR code. This can help

5. Add QR Code To Gift Receipt

Adding QR code on gift receipts is one of the effective techniques to improve customer experience and build a strong relationship with them. You not only make them happy by sending a gift but also provide them an insight into the details of their gift.

Amazon, the giant eCommerce store, is already using this way to incorporate QR codes in their business activities.

6. Printing QR Codes On Your Vehicle To Place Instant Orders

Mega Brands like Walmart and P&G have adopted the method of placing QR codes on their company vehicles to allow the customers to scan the code and order the goods that will be delivered to them at their doorsteps.You can do the same with your delivery vehicles. Simply place the QR codes and link them with your product pages. Pedestrians can order the goods from your business just by using the camera application on their phones. This provides an ease to your customers from logging to your website to order their favorite goods.

7. Add QR Codes To Your Email Marketing Campaign

Marketing through email is not dead. Rather email marketing is more effective than social media marketing.

If the email is without a proper call-to-action then it is futile and will not generate an effective outcome. To direct your subscribers about the next course of their action, use a QR code. You can use it to bring the readers to your website, social media page, or even offer them a discount code.

Winding It Up!

QR codes can spruce up your eCommerce activities and provide ease to your audience to connect with you... So, what are you waiting for? Take your sales and marketing strategies to the zenith of success by implementing the above-mentioned 7 successful ways to use QR Codes in eCommerce.

Ricky Hayes is the Co-Founder and Head of Marketing at Debutify - free Shopify theme, helping dropshippers build high-converting stores in minutes. He is a passionate entrepreneur running multiple businesses, marketing agencies, and mentoring programs.