Why Is No One Scanning My QR Codes?

In marketing, the use of QR codes has been studied for over 15 years, and a common opinion seems to be that QR codes are not scanned as much as one might expect. However, there are also studies showing that scanning a QR code is a very strong signal that the customer is interested. This post discusses how our expectations may be misguided and that QR codes may not function like web links, even if they lead to a webpage.

Our Journey Begins in Halmstad

Yesterday, I was on the train to Östersund, casually browsing for new QR articles. By chance, I found this gem from Halmstad University titled Marketing Using Quick Response Technology by Albin Carlsson and Ludwig Lundell from the International Marketing Program.

The thesis discusses how QR codes can be used specifically in marketing, and I recommend it to anyone interested in the subject.

I was particularly struck by the references to another underlying article mentioned several times where a “Mukherji et al” in a marketing journal in 2019 discusses QR codes in marketing and advertising.

Aside from the academic aspect, and the fact that I didn’t download their entire report but settled for the article, I became interested in the story outlined in the introduction.

Quick History of QR Codes from a Marketer’s Perspective

The history leading up to 2019 when the article was written can be summarized as follows:
In 1994, Denso Wave invented QR codes. In the early 2000s, QR codes were placed on everything, and marketers in Japan, Europe, and the US were sure this would be a big deal. Around 2011/2012, the phrase “the QR code is dead” spread on the internet in some marketing articles, citing very low scan numbers (17% of all smartphone users in the US scanned a QR code in 2011 as their example states). Various arguments followed regarding why this was the case.

Back to Halmstad

After this brief excursion into the marketers’ history of QR codes, where it’s unclear whether they are alive or not, we return to Simon and Ludwig and their thesis from Halmstad.

Here, the authors note that the four companies they studied all understand that scanning a QR code requires an effort from consumers, which can almost be likened to an opt-in. However, all of them feel it is a significant challenge that not many scan their codes.

Aha. And this is where it gets really interesting. Unfortunately, the companies’ exact expectations for how much their codes would be scanned are not specified, but if we connect it to what was said earlier, it is likely significantly more than 17% of all who could have scanned. The marketing experts from 2019 declare QR codes “dead” based on that number, so it should be much higher.

The Elephant in the Room

If we think about how QR codes are used when scanned, the generic customer journey looks something like this:
The customer is in a physical environment or possibly on their computer.
The customer’s mobile phone is in their pocket or perhaps in their hand, but it is likely locked.
The customer finds something that has a QR code on it.
If the customer wants to scan the code, the sequence follows:

1. Take out the phone
2. Unlock it
3. Open the camera app
4. Hold the phone against the QR code
5. Wait for the scanner to recognize the code
6. Tap the screen to confirm you want to go to the website
7. Read/do what you would do on the website

So, the customer needs to change context, which always requires some effort and is not always appreciated. Additionally, they must perform several steps.

If we compare this customer journey to another common customer journey, especially in modern marketing, going from one website to another via a link requires virtually no effort from the customer, and most do it very often without even thinking about it. A click in a context they are already in (browser), and then it’s done.

Overall, clicking a link is easy; scanning a QR code is not.

So when we set expectations for how much a QR code will be scanned, link clicks are probably not a very relevant comparison. It’s simply not even close to the same thing. I don’t know if marketers have link clicks as a reference frame when thinking about QR codes, but it wouldn’t be at all surprising if that were the case.

So What Does This Mean?

If you set up a QR code, relatively few will scan it without being very interested in what they expect to be led to.

Conversely, this means that those who scan your QR code are interested; one could say they have already expressed their interest. This could be very useful if you are working in marketing.

In marketing terms, one could express it as a scan of a QR code should not be seen as “acquisition,” but rather traffic that is ready for “conversion,” I believe, my marketing lingo is a bit rusty.

What I mean is that you need to think about what you really expect and how QR code interactions actually work for the customer. And perhaps that the traffic you do get is much more valuable than you might think?