Qr codes A Guide

QR Codes: A Guide
WWW.PIXELINSPIRATION.COM

Contents
A short history of the QR code 04
How do QR codes work? 05
What happens when a QR code is scanned? 06
QR Code Usage Across the World 07
From a Psychological perspective 08
General Perception of QR codes 10
QR Codes in a B2C Retail Context 11
Rethinking the QR Code’s Image 12
QR Code Management Platforms 14
Conclusion 17

Foreword
Hello reader!
Thank you for downloading this white paper. Our goal is to try to explain, in as simple
terms as possible, what QR Codes are; how people understand and interact with them
and the variety of ways they can be put to use in a retail context.
With the proliferation of smartphones over recent years and the consequent retailer
worries regarding showrooming, QR Codes perhaps haven’t been embraced as widely
as they should. It’s our belief that they have significant usefulness in a retail setting
and can be used as part of a wider technology stack to create really effective methods
of engaging your in-store customers with online content that supports rather than
detracts from their journey in your environment.
We hope you find this document useful and would be pleased to receive questions or
comments via our website at www.pixelinspiration.com
Yours
NIkk Smith
nikk@pixelinspiration.com

QR codes (Quick Response Codes) were first invented by a
subsidiary of the Japanese car manufacturer Toyota, Denso
Wave in 1994 (Jupiter, 2011). Their purpose was to quickly identify
and track different car components during production. In more
recent times, spurred on by the proliferation of smartphones,
the uses of this technology have been expanded significantly to
allow for a wide range of applications, especially in B2C settings.
A short history
of the QR code

QR codes work in a similar way to barcodes, presenting data in a visual format that can
be read and interpreted by a suitable scanner. The key difference is that they are two
dimensional, allowing a QR Code to represent up to a hundred times more data. Indeed,
some versions can contain over 4000 characters, although in practice the storage is
significantly less than this due to the error correction requirements needed to make
them work reliably. The most common type of code in use for B2C purposes will reliably
provide up to 61 characters, with good levels of error correction.
As briefly mentioned, QR codes have built in error correction capabilities, which allows
them to operate in non-perfect situations. This caters for the typical problems in B2C,
such as glare from screens, imperfect printing and obstruction by other graphical
elements. The design works so well that up to 30% of the code could be scanned
incorrectly before any failures occur, a factor which has been taken advantage of by
many, through the placement of logos and other graphical devices to make the codes
more visually appealing.
The red parts of the code are common in the majority of instances and
represent the start and endings of the code, also acting as alignment
markers.
The green parts of the codes portray to the scanner the format of the
data encoding.
The purple areas indicate how many modules are in the code.
The uncoloured areas are the modules, and they represent the data
contained in the code.
How do
QR codes work?

When a QR code is scanned an image processing system on a smartphone or scanner
decodes the visual blocks and transforms them into a string of data that is then passed
to another application for processing.
In B2C situations, where smartphones are typically the scanning device, the data
will typically be a URL, which can direct the user’s web browser to anywhere on the
Internet, including private sites. Because URLs are able to also contain variables,
QR codes delivered by digital methods such as in-store screens can be encoded to
include active data such as the location, time and originating source, to allow for better
personalisation of the content and subsequent analytical cross referencing of data.
What happens
when a QR code is scanned?

QR Code Usage
Across the World
Countries within Asia have been quick to adopt the technology. It is being
used frequently with 60% of the Chinese population consistently using the
technology as a form of payment. Despite this, the technology in the UK has
had limited success in comparison to other countries. In terms of payments,
the UK has seen a surge in Near Field Communications (NFC) for contactless
payments, in contrast to the use of QR codes. This may go some way to
explaining the lack of uptake compared to China, although with QR use being
Further research from Statistia has estimated that the use of QR codes in the
US is growing, with a rise from 9.76 million households in 2018 to 11 million in
2020. As the market from the US and UK previously showed similarities in QR
usage it could be reasonable to assume comparable uptake in QR usage.
11
10.5
10
9.5
9
2018 2019 2020
SHARE
OF
HOUSEHOLDS
IN
MILLIONS
9.76
10.44
11
30
28
26
24
22
GERMANY FRANCE UK US
SHARE
OF
RESPONDENTS
IN
%
29
28
26 26
A study from 2014 by Adobe systems showed that from a sample group that
was followed over 3 months from different countries, the usage of a QR codes
in the UK was at around 26%, the same result was found in the US.
central to the NHS track and trace campaign, we believe this will significantly
alter the statistics in the near term. With 79% of the UK population now
owning a smartphone (Office for National Statistics, 2019), along with the
update to IOS 11 that allowed QR codes to be automatically scanned via the
native Camera app, and similar features on Android phones, the technology
can now confidently provide a better user experience.

Psychological and UX research has looked at which factors cause individuals
to adopt new technologies. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (Arjen, 1991),
which has been used to link a person’s beliefs to their behaviour.
This model has been adapted to create the Technology Acceptance model
(Davis, 1989), which has now become the most widely applied model of
users’ acceptance and usage of technology. This model (below) breaks down
some of the extraneous variables that can influence a person’s perception of
the technology and thus their decision to adopt the technology.
From a
Psychological
perspective
ATTITUDE
THEORY OF PLANNED
BEHAVIOUR
TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL
SUBJECTIVE
NORM
PERCEIVED
BEHAVIOURAL
CONTROL
INTENTION BEHAVIOUR
PERCEIVED
USEFULNESS
PERCEIVED
EASE OF USE
BEHAVIOURAL
INTENTION
TO USE
ACTUAL
SYSTEM USE
SUBJECTIVE
NORM
EXPERIENCE
PERCEIVED
USEFULNESS
INTENTION
TO USE
USAGE
BEHAVIOUR
PERCEIVED
EASE OF USE
VOLUNTARINESS
IMAGE
JOB RELEVANT
OUTPUT QUALITY
RESULT
DEMONSTRABILITY

Furthermore, a paper from Korea has applied this technology acceptance model
specifically to QR codes. The paper resulted in the proposal of an adapted
Technology Acceptance Model with User Perceptions of Quality and Interactivity
being added (Shin, Jung & Chang, 2012). That model is shown below, with the
effect of greater influence shown by the larger numbers.
The paper showed that the two primary determining factors added (Perceived
System Quality and Perceived Information Quality) to the TAM, both significantly
affected the users’ attitude to QR codes, leading to suppressing their intention to
use QR codes and their behaviour.
The Perceived Information Quality in the context of QR, relates to the cognitive
beliefs of the user about the favourable or unfavourable characteristics of the
accuracy, completeness, relevance, and reliability of the information derived
from the QR codes. The Perceived System Quality in the context of QR codes,
can be defined as the degree to which individuals perceive that the connection
between a mobile device and the QR code is satisfying, in terms of transfer speed
reliability. It is, therefore, important to ensure these two aspects are fulfilled by
the display of the QR code to the user.
PERCEIVED
INFO, QUALITY
PERCEIVED
SYSTEM QUALITY
PU
R2
=0.257
ATTITUDE
R2
=0.530
PEOU
R1
=0.286
INTENTION
R2
=0.290
RESPONSIVENESS
CONNECTEDNESS
USER CONTROL
BEHAVIOUR
R2
=0.430
PERCEIVED
INTERACTIVITY
SN
0.34*
0.49**
0.39**
*P<0.05,** P<0.01, ***P<0.001
0.40**
0.23* 0.21*
0.52***
0.63***

One of the key things to overcome for anyone wanting to adopt QR codes
into their operational or marketing mix is the negative perception that
poorly executed QR based campaigns have created over previous years.
There have been many examples of poor execution that have provided
customers with poor user experience. This quote from Beaconstac
summarises the point:
“QR codes did start getting popular in 2011 when Macy’s and Best Buy
started implementing them in their stores. But there were problems
galore with mass end-user adoption.
Most consumers had terribly slow speed internet, did not own a
smartphone and even when they did, they had to download an app that
took forever to scan a QR code. The websites the QR codes redirected
users to weren’t optimized for smartphones making the whole situation
worse.”
Due to this and the fact that QR codes have been used as a gimmick
without thought to how they integrate and assist with the customers’
context, a large percentage of the population may have had poor
experiences with QR codes. This in turn can influence their perception of
the usefulness of the technology and may then influence the subjective
norm of the use of the technology via sharing of experience with others.
This sharing of poor experience could be at least partly responsible for
the adoption of a reduced reputation in the UK.
General Perception
of QR codes
QR codes did start getting
popular in 2011 when Macy’s
and Best Buy started
implementing them in their
stores. But there were
problems galore with mass
end-user adoption.
‘
’

QR codes have been used for several years in B2C, but their initial utilisation
was typically far from an exemplar of how the technology could be employed,
with the majority of applications simply using the code to point to a non-specific
website. As with most early-stage technology adoption, this, coupled with the
requirement to have a discrete QR code scanner app, led to an inevitable entry
into the ‘trough of disillusionment’.
More recent examples have appeared, however, that truly start to demonstrate
the power of the QR code, representing the technology’s movement into the
‘Slope of Enlightenment’. Excellent examples from brands such as Nike, where
QR Codes
in a B2C Retail Context
the in-store experience was improved through the use of product specific
codes, linked to the Nike App to allow for omnichannel in-store connections;
Lacoste, where local store stock and sanitisation measures were presented
to customers via a QR link (to aid social distancing measures); Decathlon,
where a Scan and Go service was created, using QR codes to authenticate
online payments for in-store shopping, negating the requirement to check-
out in the traditional manner. Perhaps one of the most interesting uses was in
the Walnut store (India), where the whole grocery department was converted
to allow in-store ordering of produce via QR codes, for subsequent home
delivery.

In the early stages of the implementation of QR technology, most
of the codes maintained the basic format of black symbol and
white background. This has meant that, although QR codes have
developed to provide a variety of uses, the visual image associated
with the experience by the customer has remained the same. To
illustrate this point, above are two QR codes; hypothetically, one
transports the user to something of direct use, providing the exact
information they were looking for quickly and effectively. The
other tries to force the download of an app that they did not want
or need, causing a poor user experience. Both codes are, however,
visually indistinguishable from each other.
We therefore believe that it’s imperative to visually differentiate any QR
codes you plan to use from the legacy implementations. Thankfully, the
technology already allows plenty of flexibility in the visual implementation
due to its inbuilt support for error correction, which means we can use a
variety of techniques to adapt a code’s look and feel. Below are several
examples that have used various graphical enhancements to make their
codes stand-out.
Rethinking
the QR Code’s Image

Logos have been credited with positively influencing brand evaluations, purchase intention and brand
performance (Luffarelli, Mukesh & Mamood, 2019), but equally simply changing the colour and/or shape
of the code can have a similar impact.
QR Codes alone, however, remain limited by their legibility to humans, so they should always be
accompanied by text-based content, used to explain the benefits that scanning the code will deliver.
From observing other successful marketing and QR code campaigns there appears to be a theme. The
vast majority use a Call To Action (CTA). A CTA is a short phrase, usually five words of less, used to
encourage users to take a specific action. In the context of QR codes this phrase is often “Scan me”,
although we would argue that this is not particularly effective as it presents no indication of the benefits
the user will gain by taking the time to scan. The key to effectively using a CTA is to implement a few
components that maximise conversion:
1. The rule of KISS. “keep it short & simple”. This is in order to convey information
quickly and without confusion.
2. Use action verbs. This encourages the user to take the action you are aiming
for. This could be action verbs such as: Purchase, Follow, Buy etc.
3. Make it specific, rather than generic – ‘Scan me to see other colours/sizes
available’
4. Make them easy to find. This means making the CTA clear, bold and in a good
location relative to the QR code.
The specific way you implement your QR Codes will also vary depending on the presentation
medium: printed formats, such as shelf-edge labels, have the benefit of ultimate proximity
but are limited by their physical sizes, whereas digital provides significantly more capability
to personalise the message and provide more detail due to its support for animation and
automatic localisation.

QR Code
Management
Platforms
Once you have decided to embrace the
use of QR Codes, it’s important to consider
how they will be generated and managed
during their whole lifecycle. Thankfully,
there are several existing platforms that
provide for the key functions required,
including:
1. QR Code generation & Design
2. Flexible QR content
3. Landing page options
4. Scan tracking & Reporting
5. GDPR compliance

ShelfVision – www.pixelinspiration.co.uk/shelfvision
ShelfVision was developed by the authors of this white paper to specifically
provide a method of generating and managing QR Codes destined for retail
usage at the shelf-edge. It provides targeted functionality that is aligned to
this specific use case, including:
The ability to present mobile optimised content to the in-store shopper
Self-generating, but editable content templates for Categories and the
Products within them
Audio or Video connections to remote assistants, in support of one-to-
one advice from a disparate team of assistants
API support for integration with ESL and in-store Digital media displays
Customised QR code designs
The platform is designed for B2B clients and is priced to allow extremely
low-cost provision of managed QR codes at scale.
Beaconstac – www.beaconstac.com
Beaconstac is a well featured platform that, unsurprisingly given its
name, also includes the ability to manage Beacons. It offers many
key features and includes a landing page builder, allowing individuals
to build their own pages based on templates, ideal for smaller
businesses or short-term tactical campaigns with no significant
complexity. The platform provides QR code usage tracking via an
integration with Google Analytics and a modern API for system
integration with other platforms
Pricing is based on the number of codes you want to create,
coupled with the number of scans supported, so be mindful that
non enterprise subscriptions could result in successful campaigns
quickly using up capacity.

Scanova – scanova.io
Scanova provides all the key features of a QR code management platform, although
it is lacking some of the extended features offered by Beaconstac. It offers simple
creation of landing pages, along with more advanced features that allow for API
based integrations and batch creation of codes. Tracking is included and has built-
in support for reporting on locations where scans take place (with the permission
of the user). Importantly, the pricing plans are not usage dependent, so the risk of
running out of capacity is removed. The high-end subscription allows for custom
domains, to allow for better branding of the redirect URL presented by the QR
Code, which could be of significant benefit to larger brands.
QR Code Monkey - www.qrcode-monkey.com
QR code monkey is a free online tool that can be used to generate static QR Codes-
this basically means that once you’ve created the code, it’s content cannot be
changed again, negating most of the advanced uses of QR technology, including
the ability to track scan usage natively within the tool. Nevertheless, it offers and
excellent interface and many QR code design customisation options, all presented
in a slick package. There’s even an API that can be used to allow other systems to
utilise the QR generation facilities of the platform.
The QR code generator - https://www.qr-code-generator.com/
Like QR Code Monkey, The QR code generator allows a user to generate free static
QR codes, but also provides for dynamic options via a paid option. It’s the most
basic of offerings, with no support for QR Code design adaptations. This platform
may suit those looking to make a basic code quickly and easily, but otherwise it’s
too limited for any advanced campaigns.

Conclusion
So how can QR codes be best used in retail? We’ve
come up with some of the key do’s and don’ts we
think apply to the majority of instances. Let us
know if you agree or not!
Do differentiate your QR code and communicate what benefits it will bring
to the customer journey
Use them in a granular way – the benefit of a QR code is that it can take
you directly to information of relevance, so cut out all the information
that’s not directly of interest
Customise the experience that follows a scan to the context– if the
customer is scanning for specific product information from a shelf edge
location in-store, give them only what they need and optimise it for mobile
viewing.
Avoid linking to App only functionality unless the link degrades gracefully.
Less than 6% of the population download new apps regularly
Think big – QR codes can connect to functionality as well as online content
Do not have a generic QR code that points customers to your website
when they’re already in store. You’ll only be repeating the mistakes of the
early adopters.
AutomateQRcodegenerationtoallowforlocalisationandcontextualisation
within digital platforms
Do encourage usage of the codes through good design and communication
of the benefits to be had from a scan
Do automate code production or use an effective QR code management
platform to monitor activity and provide simple update to content

Shelfvision provides total flexibility over the QR code design, adding
style with the addition of brand logos and colours, downloadable directly
for printing or integration into other visual systems. It also provides for
analytics, affording a real-time view of the utilisation of each code.
Connecting your in-store customers
to your online world
Arrange a demo today by calling 0161 713 2333
or emailing shelfvision@pixelinspiration.com
The portal provides for management of the
codes, their associated content, re-directs
and live consultation functionality using
simple point and click WYSIWYG interfaces,
but also supports API based queries from
remote systems, allowing thousands of
unique codes to be created in seconds, ideal
for scenarios such as automated, electronic
shelf edge labelling.
Shelfvision, from Pixel Inspiration, is a SAAS application
dedicated to the creation and management of QR codes for the
B2C retail market It provides a highly scalable platform for the
dynamic generation of QR codes, alongside the ability to host
mobile optimised content and interactive functionality, such as
live consultations and appointment booking.
Realtime QR code creation
Point and click interfaces
API Support
Branded QR Codes
Mobile optimised content
Live remote consultation support
Usage analytics

Screen Networks
In-store Radio
Digital Menuboards
Digital Rateboards
Motion Graphics
Interactive Apps
Audience Analytics
Customer Queues
Digital Photobooths
Digital Windows
large format LED
Digital Wayfinding
Social Media WALLS
Projection Solutions
Corporate Comms
Installation
Pro-Active Support
get in touch
0161 713 2333
I N FO@ PI X E LI N S PI RATI O N .CO M
WWW. P I X E L I N S P I R AT I O N . C O M
DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGED

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