QR Codes for downloading Product Applications

Absolut Vodka
Country of Origin: Sweden

This QR Code on the Absolut Vodka Bottle scans. However, the user gets a blank page with the following written in small writing on the top: “you do not have permission to open this page”. This is a QR Code scan fail. The reason this Code did not scan effectively is because the QR Code only led to the App Store dedicated solely to an iPhone user. In this case, the company should have used two QR Codes to suit the two main smartphones that is Android  (Play Store) and iOS (Apple). See example below:

Sligo Jazz Trail
A QR Code for each App Store
Here, Sligo Jazz Trail has embraced both of the major phones operating systems.

Interesting to note, is that in Ireland the Android market is slightly greater than the iphone.

49% of respondents think QR Codes are useful : )

Proportionally, this signifies firstly that those that are engaging in QR Codes think that they are useful. Secondly, the fact that 37% of respondents are undecided means that there is potential for QR Codes to have a greater impact. Finally, with only a small number of respondents at 14% thinking QR Codes are not useful then perhaps QR Codes are here to stay.

Next Post: The next post i am going to look at QR Codes i come across in everyday life and check their scanning effectiveness and direction to the consumer.

Survey: Low scanning frequencies in Ireland

In a typical week, QR Code scanning was very low and well below what would have been assumed in relation to other results of the survey. It must be remembered than more than half of the respondents that qualified for survey never scanned a QR Code hence this question would not apply to them.
As scanning is scheduled to increase worldwide, Ireland might be left behind. It may suggest that the barriers  such as no application pre-installed on phone, lack of internet connectivity and users not being educated about the technology are bearing in this result.

Efforts to grow the frequency are a role that needs pan-industry consideration and drive. As no one company actually owns a QR code it may be questioned, who is actually promoting QR Codes themselves. In Ireland there are no QR Codes management companies that offer the full tracking service which is probably why there is not enough 'noise' about them.

It is without doubt, that QR Codes are used far too often for novelty by businesses rather than really concentrating on the potentials it could achieve within the right target market. In some cases, QR Codes are not the proper marketing medium. For example Sligo Hearing Aid Centre sent out flyers about their hearing aids and on the flyer used a QR Code to direct people to their website www.sligohearingaidcentre.ie .
It is assumed in most cases that people availing of a hearing aid are elderly. According to valuehearcare.com the average age of a hearing aid client is seventy years old. If the company firstly did research on Smartphone ownership, they would understand that the elderly are not big purchases in this category. Their technological ability and understanding would not be as great as say a younger person who has been brought up with the mobile phones. Mobile phones really only captured the Irish market in the year 2000. Not being ageist but expecting an elderly person to whip out a smartphone, download an app and scan a QR Code might just be asking a bit much!

Newspapers/Magazines are top scan locations!

A staggering 65% have seen a QR Code in a Newspaper/Magazine. We do not know the origin of these Newspaper or magazines but it could be suggested that the newspapers are mainly of Irish production and the magazines a mixture of Irish, U.K and U.S. This high result may be the influence of foreign marketing Ireland but this can’t be said as fact.

Studies highlighted demonstrate Newspapers and Magazine as a good draw for QR Code scanning behaviour. So as QR Codes appear generously in magazines, is this why people are noticing them there more? When one is reading a magazine or newspaper it is thought that they are relaxing and not rushed. Therefore the likelihood and ability to notice a QR Code is greater. More importantly however, is from our survey findings and other studies we learn that QR Code scanning behaviour happens mostly in the home. 

Packaging is no surprise with a high 55%. QR Codes on products in Ireland is on the rise and again it does not mean that the product was produced in Ireland.
Leaflets/Flyer scored 40% and posters just below at 28%. This is a good scanning rate and confirms advertising spent well on these areas. It is assumed when we receive flyers for example that we glance at them and shortly dispose of them. But having a flyer with a QR Code on it might entice people to hang onto it for a bit longer at least until they scan it, increasing the probability of it be seen by more persons. Marketers can also measure the effectiveness of their offline campaign by gaining crucial additional information on their customers who scan the flyers. Posters too see a good scanning rate which in turn demonstrates the proliferation of QR Codes on such media.

Finally, the research shows an Internet site (20%), Billboard (12%), Business Card (11%), Television (5%) and Other (3.5%) with insignificant responses. These rates are not very high but it is suspected that for instance a television QR Code would be a poor medium due to the fact that it would not give ample opportunity for the user to set up so spontaneously. Unless of course they have a pause feature on their remote!!!

Further analysis of where people scan.

Todays blog looks further into the findings that were graphed in the previous blog (also seen below).

Looking again at the comparison table between Ireland and the EU (5), there is an interesting comparison with people scanning ‘At Home’ being similar in percentages.

Interesting to note, is Irelands higher public transport scan but much lower scans in stores, shops and restaurant.

At work is 14% lower than the EU 5 but that survey encompassed persons of the age thirteen plus whilst the Irish survey was geared at over 18’s.


Outside or public transport holds a reasonable 28% as favoured among participants.
"Free wifi services will be available on a larger number of Bus Éireann routes, after the operator began rolling out free internet services on 88 new buses. 23 commuter coaches operating in the Greater Dublin area are being given Wi-Fi shortly, with five new city single and double-decker buses going into service in Cork, and seven new buses in Galway."This explosion of internet access on Irish public transport has meant more travellers are joining the online world on their mobile phones.

‘Other’ lies at 10% while at work just behind at 9%. The relevant factor here is that the 'Other' category was made up of Restaurants, Supermarkets, retail store and college but not one of these categories reaching anything higher than 2.5% scan. Therefore, in store marketing spend on QR Codes is not seen as advantageous. Further dissection might reveal that retail stores and some restaurants have little or no internet connectivity yet alone phone coverage.

Elsewhere in Korea, when Tesco used posters of supermarket shelves complete with QR codes , the result was that more than 10,000 people scanned the QR codes, new customer registrations rose by 76%, and online sales were up by 130%.

There are regional factors here which aided the success of the campaign. For one, the underground has Wi-Fi so no connection issues. Also, many mobiles in Korea have built in QR readers, which remove one huge barrier from the whole process.

Where have you found the QR Codes that you have scanned?

A staggering 65% have seen a QR Code in a Newspaper/Magazine. We do not know the origin of these Newspaper or magazines but it could be suggested that the newspapers are mainly of Irish production and the magazines a mixture of Irish, U.K and U.S. This high result may be the influence of foreign marketing in Ireland but this can’t be said as truth.

Earlier in the blog, it was noted that Newspapers and Magazine are a good draw for QR Code scanning behaviour.

When one is reading a magazine or newspaper it is thought that they are relaxing and not rushed. Therefore the likelihood and ability to notice a QR Code is greater. More importantly however, is from our survey findings and other studies we learn that QR Code scanning behaviour happens mostly in the home. Hence, the use of a further graph below to explain our Newspaper/Magazine results.

It is indicated that over half of respondents scanned a QR Code while at home and the most popular medium was Newspapers and Magazines. This is a key finding for future QR Code logistical implementation. This insight gives a clear view of where we like to be when we scan a QR Code and compliments other survey findings.

For comparison purposes, please see below.

*The EU 5 is made up of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom (ComScore, 2011)

Further analysis in next post  : )

Motivations for Scanning a QR Code

What is it that the marketing manager has to do to grab our attention to scan a QR Code?

It seems the answer is inherent within us, our overwhelming desire or Curiosity is the point of persuasion. It is evident that QR Codes still contain a significant level of curiosity among respondents (74%).

Respondents from my survey were given an opportunity to select more than one motivational factor so percentages will add up greater than a total of 100.

 ‘To find out further information’ was the second most incentive with 29% selecting this option. This can only be good news for business. This is proving that QR Codes are working and can increase financial spend. The offline material that was used to bring the consumer to the online world has worked.  Additionally, It is well rehearsed  that consumers like to research online before they make a purchase in store. Hence, QR Codes are facilitating customer research in the purchasing scenario.

More importantly, companies using 'managed' codes can find out information on these consumers that they would never have been able to access before.

QR Codes management can provide:
- Number of scans
- Number of unique users
- Time & date
- Location of scans
- Type of phone (operating system)
- Representative demographics


The next factor sees ‘Quick access to a website’ at 25% being another motivational selection. The reasons for this could be similar to those that wanted further information but also include what is truly great about QR Codes-the idea of not having to type in a long website address on your mobile phone is gracious. It is generally accepted that users even on their desktop computer do not enjoy typing in website address and prefer the arguable quicker option of using the Google search bar. The QR Code also omits any spelling errors you may have while typing in your web address. Finally, your mobile phone screen is unlike other display screens and typing a website address can be cumbersome at the best of times.

Consumers enjoy Giveaways and Competitions; this sees 15% of the scanning ratio among Irish respondents. This is somewhat below a similar type survey in the U.K which quantifies that 42% would scan a QR code in order to access a discount voucher, 23% out of curiosity, and 21% to find out more about the product advertised.  Perhaps, the reason for the low scanning rate in Ireland of Giveaways and Competitions is because QR Codes are still quite new and companies have not actually used the Codes as a Competiton/Giveaway method option but rather the more basic use such as a web address.  Implementing a Competiton for example via QR Codes may be more difficult for business to get right  and the choice for an easier QR code conversion is preferred. It may also be assumed that implementing a Competition/Giveaway via QR code is not within the capability (knowledge) of business.

The ‘Other’ responses were insignificant in that there was no further insight gained.