The global smart packaging industry has rapidly grown within the last few years, and it is anticipated to increase by $20 billion by 2024.

Product packaging is the first thing customers come across while shopping. According to paper worker‘s research, 1/3rd of consumer decision making is based solely on product packaging. Arguably their interaction with it, is what convinces them to either purchase or ditch a product.

In the previous article, we have discussed the use-cases of QR Codes, and the numerous benefits it can bring to a business, from offering better transparency and customer engagement to withstanding counterfeit and food waste. Therefore, making product QR codes an integral part of business ownership has become an efficient way for brands to step up their marketing strategy, increase sales, engage, and instill trust in their consumers. 

Deloitte Insights survey revealed that smart packaging is considered a significant investment that is becoming incrementally valuable for managing a brand’s inventory and product life cycle management.

All things considered, and with these codes taking over every brand’s product packaging, we can confidently say that  2021: is the year of product QR Codes.

What is wrong with my Product QR Codes?

Knowing the power that Product QR codes hold, and what greatness it can bring to their businesses in terms of revenue, exposure, and customer trust. Many brand owners started embedding QR codes on their products’ packaging, waiting patiently for the feedback, reviews, and data insights that this technology would bring them. Unfortunately, they realize that the results they are getting are not what they expected them to be and that only a few of their customers scan the codes. Accordingly, they start doubting their choices: 

Why is no one scanning my QR codes? 

Are these QR codes worth it? 

How can I make my customers scan my QR codes?

How to attract customers to scan your Product QR codes?

Brands from all around the world have found creative and unique ways to not only intrigue people and get them to scan their codes but to boost their brand awareness as well.

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A key part of getting someone to do anything is by not giving him or her an excuse to say no. The same concept can apply to getting people to scan your  QR codes. You have to make the scanning process as easy as possible.

Nowadays, most smartphones have an in-built feature to scan QR codes just by using the camera application, making it hassle-free for customers to access the information within the product QR codes, yet customers still do not scan them. Why is that?

 1. Make It Obvious!

The first challenge of spreading the word about your product QR Codes is getting people to notice them.

• The size matters

You have to make sure that your product QR codes are not too small. The minimum size should be 2 x 2 cm (about 0.8 x 0.8 in) anything less will render your codes unscannable or unnoticeable.

• Stop overlooking the placement!

The placement of QR codes on the product packaging plays a crucial role in the success of a marketing strategy and its campaigns. However, it is often than not overlooked. Make sure that your QR codes are in the right placement and that it can be easily detected by consumers.

• Make it Attractive

Aside from the size and placement, You have to ensure that your product QR codes have the right color contrast (a light color background and a dark color foreground) and have the perfect design, making it intriguing enough to trigger the customers’ curiosity. However, do not go overboard with the design to not affect the QR Codes quality.

“I’ve seen people creating fancy QR codes with a black, dark, or lighter background. It may look great in some ways but they can’t be scanned with all QR code applications”―William Taylor, career development manager at VelvetJobs.

•    Add instruction/ CTA:

Some customers consider scanning Qr codes as a chore and a waste of time. Unless they know what they are getting out of it, they will unlikely pull their phone out and scan it.

Therefore, you must entice your customers into believing that the content offered in the QR code will be worth their time and effort.

Let your customers know about your smart packaging. Blast it all over your social media accounts and put on advertisement boards about it. Make sure to add a short written explanation and instructions to notify customers about these QR codes. Most importantly, explain the benefits that they will gain from scanning them. Thereby not making your marketing efforts go to waste. 

The instruction can be as simple as a short call to action, which is proven  to guarantee 80% more scans of your QR code, for instance: “Scan to get 2-for-1”,” scan for a discount”, “scan to read product reviews”

2. Make it rewarding! 

The easiest yet the most effective way to get customers to scan your product QR codes is to ensure they get a reward from it. By 2022, the number of QR coupons redeemed via mobile is expected to be 5.3 Million.

 As a brand owner, you can wield product QR codes’ technology to share coupons, the latest deals, special offers, and discounts. Now, customers can access all of these perks with just a simple scan.

With this method, not only are you attracting consumers to scan your product QR codes, but you are giving them direct access to your latest campaigns and the easiest way to redeem discounts, and even share them with their friends leading to double the exposure for your brand.

Moreover, a study shows that  64% of people scan QR codes mainly for joining a contest or for prize draws. Hence, leading the customer to a landing page to enter into a random drawing for some great prize will be a huge advantage for customer engagement and marketing. 

On the other hand, loyalty programs let consumers enjoy the benefits that the company has to offer. It can be a discount for every purchase they made.

3. Reviews and Feedbacks

Based on a Local consumer review survey, 97% of customers read online reviews before they buy a product, And almost half of those interviewed will only trust 4-stars or better. Thereby, providing customers with the option of checking reviews on the spot while shopping is a great way to attract them to scanning your Qr codes.

The reviews and feedback on the QR codes will encourage and give them access to real reviews and express their valuable thoughts about the products they are purchasing. 

This practice will eliminate all the suspicions and doubts that customers might have about your products, invigorate customer engagement and give you insights on how to improve your brand, helping you stay ahead of the competition and to ensure customer satisfaction. 

All in all, to make customers scan your Product QR codes, you need to ensure that they are intriguing enough to trigger the customers’ curiosity. The best means to achieve that is by making them noticeable (choosing the right size, placement, and design) and easy to understand by adding appropriate instructions and Call-To-Actions. 

You have to take full advantage of coupons and deals to attract a larger number of customers. Not to forget to add features that encourage customer engagement, namely reviews and feedback.

Following these methods will guarantee that you reach the results you are aiming for and that your product QR codes are successful. 

In the concrete, several services can help you increase your sales and build customer engagement through Product QR code, and BrandTag is one of them.

 BrandTag is a SaaS (software as a service) solution that provides brand owners with the easiest way to prove their products’ authenticity and engage with their customers. 

Our Solution gives each of your products a unique ID for consumers to scan and get a wealth of information about your brand. Simultaneously, you can gain an insight into their buying intentions and behaviors, helping you in determining your brand’s next marketing direction. 

Want to find out more about BrandTag? Check out our previous article, BrandTag – Authenticity, Confidence, Engagement, for a thorough explanation of how BrandTag works for you and your brand!