by Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
How to integrate QR codes in your Ecommerce?
Features of a QR Code:
Benefits of using Quick Response Codes for E-commerce Business:
How can you generate a QR Code?
STEP 1- Deciding on the use of QR codes
STEP 2- Finding a QR code generator
STEP 3 – Selecting a type of QR code you want to use
STEP 4- Customizing the QR code
STEP 5- Downloading the QR codes
How can you use the QR codes?
- Directing customers to your landing page or social media pages.
- For both online and offline Advertising
- Offering promotions and discounts
- Cashless payments
- Customer feedback
- Product tracking
- Product packaging
- Social Media
- Giveaways with QR codes
- Add to cart QR code
Final Words
Quick Response codes or QR codes are becoming the latest mode for payment and other transactions among customers, retailers, and especially e-commerce shops. Nowadays, one could find a QR code at every shop, may it be for groceries, books, restaurants, garments, and many more. QR code is just another kind of barcode that anyone could scan or read through their smartphone camera.
QR codes are used for all kinds of purposes from keeping the count of covid infected people to pay the bills in restaurants by scanning QR code prints. Tech consultants at Tatvasoft offer the best custom software solution for every business needs from retail and e-commerce to logistics and distribution. Here, every field could use a QR code to provide users with a piece of instant information or help you redirect them to a website that could perform a specific function for you.
Business owners are using these QR codes to allow customers to scan them and receive unexpected things that could attract them for a sale like a video, a landing page, a PDF, a text message to prompt a conversation, and so on. Some people do get confused between the terms like QR codes and barcodes but in reality, QR code is just another kind of barcode.
Features of a QR Code:
- They are small Codes with Large Information. QR codes can carry large information within themselves more than the normal Barcodes
- They also have a high capacity to encode data with which your data can remain secure
- QR codes have more than 40 Versions. Each version has a different module or combination of modules under it. This means that more data can be accumulated with more modules in a QR code making it larger and heavier with information.
- A QR code can be read speedily 360 degree or Omni-directional way
- The data in a QR code is safe from dust and damage as it can be retrieved anytime, in any situation.
- A large QR code can be divided into multiple small QR codes to distribute the information and make it smaller.
Benefits of using Quick Response Codes for E-commerce Business:
- Instant access to information
- Increase in incoming traffic
- Track conversion rates from specific marketing campaigns
- Direct customers to CTAs
- Improves customers’ brand loyalty thanks to dedicated coupons and giveaways
- Helpful in taking customer reviews and feedback regarding the products
- Tracking marketing campaigns’ performance
- Information under QR code can be updated easily
- Directing customers to websites or social media pages without wasting navigation time.
- It has sustainability benefits as it cuts down on the use of paper
- They are easily traceable as you can keep a record of how many times they are being scanned and out of that how many times it is leading to sales generation.
- They are inexpensive means of marketing and traffic drivers.
How can you generate a QR Code?
QR codes are very easy to create. You would just need a strategy and analysis incorporated into an application to design and voila. You are ready to use your QR code for the purpose you built it.
STEP 1- Deciding on the use of QR codes
Why do you need a QR code? What will it be used for? Well, that’s the first step in creating a QR code – deciding the purpose of your creation. You can come up with a list of things that you need or goals you want to fulfill by using a QR code. You can also use it to share some kind of information with the people who scan it. Nowadays, some people are seen putting their social media handles, links to their website, or a product on their QR code.
STEP 2- Finding a QR code generator
As there is a large variety of QR codes, we have to take our next step very carefully. So, after finding an appropriate need to create a QR code, we will now be using a generator to fulfill those needs. Though it is an important step, there isn’t any complexity in this. You just have to fill in all the information in their respective fields and submit them. After that, you will get a unique QR code instantly in the form of an image. You just have to place this image in your business cards, postcards, promotional materials, or wherever you want to fulfill your requirements.
If you are just starting your journey with QR codes, if you are at a beginner level and have no knowledge or experience in generating QR codes then you can use some free applications that can help you with QR code generation. They are as mentioned below:
- QR Code Monkey
- Code Two
- Unitag
- QR stuff
- Flowcode
But if your plans need much more than just the basic use of a QR code then you should use some generator applications that come with more designs and features. A paid platform will render you some flexibility. The name of some paid QR code generator applications are:
- Visuallead
- QR Code Generator
- Scanova
- QRickit
- QRTiger
STEP 3 – Selecting a type of QR code you want to use
Mainly, there are two types of QR codes to choose from:
- Static QR Codes – You can’t change such QR codes as they have a fixed data integrated into them. The most common use for this kind of code is to place contact details, link to websites, and more on their digital business card. This would suit well with the static codes as the changes in contact details occur very rarely.
- Dynamic QR Codes – You can change these types of QR codes as per the requirements of your business. How is that possible if you ask then in static codes, the information was stored in QR codes whereas, in Dynamic codes, the information is stored in a website URL. So, your QR code directs the user to the website URL where they can get the information you provide them. You can change the information if you want directly on the website URL. Dynamic QR codes can avail you of some benefits like:
- Website URL can be changed whenever you want
- Capture and measure statistics of the use of these QR codes
- Give users access to automatic downloads
- The user must be connected to the internet before using these QR codes because they are going to be directed to a certain URL.
STEP 4- Customizing the QR code
You have a purpose to create a QR code, you have a generator that will help you build one and you have also decided on which type of QR code you want to use then I guess the only thing left is creating one.
So, this step is about filling the QR code with all the information you want to have inside it. And then you can also customize it as per your needs. But you have to make sure that the QR code generator you use has everything you need to create your custom QR code.
You can make a replica of your company logo by designing a QR with some animated effects and some music according to your requirements. Now as your QR code is ready for launch, there is one thing still left to do and that is – testing. A generator would enable you to scan and [review the QR code before it is made available for you.
If you are thinking about making a static QR code then testing is very important. Because once the QR code is generated, you will not be able to make any changes.
STEP 5- Downloading the QR codes
Once you have pressed the button to create a QR code, the only thing left to do is take out a print of it or post it directly on your different social media platforms.
If you are planning on posting your QR code online then you need to make sure that it is available in all formats like JPG, JPEG, PNG, TIF, and more. If you want to save your information with transparency then you must use the PNG format as it has high resolution.
Again, if you want to take out the prints of the QR code then make sure that they are easily readable with the cameras of the smartphones otherwise the user will not be able to scan it and get the needed information. You can print the QR codes in SVG, EPS, PDF vector graphics, or even in a PNG file.
How can you use the QR codes?
The use of QR codes is increasing rapidly especially on e-commerce sites and other online industries. In e-commerce alone, QR codes can be used for a wide range of purposes like marketing, payment, tracking shipments, and more.
I won’t be exaggerating if I say that QR codes have the capabilities to revolutionize the way of shopping and after-sales services. It would just enhance the customer experience by making shopping processes more convenient and hassle-free for both customers and retailers.
Nowadays, almost everyone is using smartphones and they come with a camera no matter if it is an android or an IOS device. This has made it very easy for everyone to scan and use Quick Response Codes.
This option is very easy as well as needs much less capital investment so it is favorable by the business owners too. So, if used properly, QR codes can accelerate your business growth by increasing sales and offering a better sales experience to customers. In the field of e-commerce, there are many ways to use QR codes. They are as discussed below:
Using a QR code is a great way to boost your online presence as it increases traffic to your e-commerce shop. If you want to use your QR code for this purpose then you must place them on your shopping cards, product packaging, social media pages, bills, and so on.
This will also prove to be an effective way for a customer to easily access your web page without navigating their way around the page. This will make the user journey less complicated and would provide them a hassle-free experience.
But it is recommended that you should use a unique URL that matches your QR code so that you can measure it carefully.
2. For both online and offline Advertising
QR codes work great in advertising. It enables potential customers to scan the code and visit your website instantly without even searching your name or typing the URL on their device while they are looking for you.
Placing QR codes in an online advertisement like on a social media page, website, or in offline advertisements like printing in magazines, packaging, outside the store, and more is a superb call-to-action. It enables the viewer to take action with minimum effort as we discussed above.
3. Offering promotions and discounts
As we saw that QR codes can be a great call-to-action because the minimal effort is involved to get effective results. Similarly, it’s a great tool to offer discounts to customers. And which customer doesn’t love discounts? All they have to do is to scan the code to claim their discount.
Awarding the customers with a coupon QR code would build loyalty in their hearts towards the brands. By using the QR, you could direct the customer to product pages that offer special discounts. You can also use the tactic of urgency like the code runs out within two to three days unless you scan it now. This will make customers run to purchase their favorite products.
4. Cashless payments
When the QR codes were launched initially, they were largely used to promote online cashless payments for businesses around the world. Top retail brands like Starbucks and Zara have started using the concept of QR codes a long time ago. Nowadays, e-commerce businesses are using micropayment and mobile wallet payment solutions to save their customers from the threats of online payment embezzlement.
Mobile wallets or micropayments are online digital wallets that enable you to add money to your accounts as well as transfer money directly to someone else for example a supplier’s account. The biggest companies in the field of micropayment and digital wallets are Google, Apple, Amazon, Paypal, and more. These mobile wallet giants collaborate with different e-commerce business platforms to offer a secure payment gateway to the customers.
5. Customer feedback
In an e-commerce business, there is hardly any type of interaction between a retailer and a customer. This might become a problem in providing a seamless customer experience. In such cases, it will be difficult for the customers to convey their feedback regarding the products to the business owners.
But if an e-commerce platform provides a QR code then the customer can scan it to submit their feedback directly to the retail shop owner. Generally, these QR codes are placed on the packaging of the product delivered to them. So, the customer just needs to take out their smartphones, turn on the camera, scan QR codes, and type in their feedback to the retailer.
The retailers can display this customer feedback on their website, social media channels and other portals to increase engagement and attract more customers.
6. Product tracking
E-commerce business owners can give their customers a unique QR code after they purchase their product from the online store. This code is used to allow customers, keep track of their shipment and get real-time information about the location of their package. QR codes are ideal for tracking inventory and their management as they are capable of saving more than 7000 numbers or over 4000 alphanumeric characters.
7. Product packaging
E-commerce business owners are following a new practice in which they place a QR code on the packaging of a product. If a customer would scan this QR code then they will be provided with all product-specific information like manufacturing details, ingredients, and more.
E-commerce retailers can review their product, rate it and give their useful feedback with the help of the code as we have already seen before. QR codes are also used to keep their customers updated on their product and other upcoming versions. In such a way brands can maintain transparency using a QR code.
8. Social Media
You can share your QR code for e-commerce business on your social media pages. Sharing it on social media can avail you of so many benefits like described below:
- Directing your customer to a particular product or service
- Directing customers to your website
- Making them download an application
- To track your store’s location on the maps
9. Giveaways with QR codes
One of the best ways of marketing is arranging a giveaway. And if you want to improve its results then you can add a QR code to your marketing campaign. Customers can use these QR codes to participate in the giveaway. Also, you should make a multi-URL QR code for your most loyal customers.
10. Add to cart QR code
The convenience of a customer is the most necessary thing in the business. And it can help you offer that to your customers then you must render them some specially made QR code for products they would checkout later with.
E-commerce websites could also offer unique codes to their customers which allow them to add their favorite products into their wishlist or into their cart to shop for them later. So, when a customer checks out from the website, you can remind them about the products they wanted to purchase. In this way, the customers can save their favorite products so that they won’t have to search them all over again while they navigate through the online e-commerce shop.
Final Words
In this digital age, QR codes and barcodes are used everywhere. It is without any doubt true that they played a big role in making the digital revolution successful around the world. The most important and the best thing about QR codes is that they can be easily applied in any field from marketing to online payments. So, it will be safe to say that QR codes help boost the growth of your e-commerce business.
No matter if you want to enhance your customer experience, increase your reach or want to boost your sales, just keep an eye out on this emerging trend and figure out how you can leverage it to obtain advantages for your business.
