
Why the QR code is failing - taylorbuley
http://www.imediaconnection.com/article_full.aspx?id=30267
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ethank
Somewhere I have a 30 page report from an executive in a media company on why
QR codes are the next big thing, because they are big in Japan.

If there was any red flag for me it was the fact that those that didn't know
consumer habits, technology or why the milieu of both would effect the
adoption of a new mode of doing things were saying these things.

QR codes were pushed because they hit the marketing sweet spot of engagement
and measurability, without any acknowledgment of the dissonance imposed.

As I said once: "QR codes: like using a megaphone to seduce someone. The
ugliest, stupidest, most useless (and used less) tech in a while."

~~~
MatthewPhillips
40% of people surveyed in this not-so-scientific survey knew what it was.
Despite there not being any real reason _why_ they should know (there has been
no effort into marketing them beyond the tech circles, as far as I can tell,
unlike a hashtag which is used by nearly every television show, and explained
by said television show). And despite the second most used mobile OS not
having a default implementation. I don't know what you define as successful,
but to me this qualifies.

I was hoping this article would be able how marketers don't generally do
anything useful with the barcodes. Sending you to their website (probably
designed for desktops) is not the way to go. He touched on this, but then
focused on QR code's lack of ubiquity.

~~~
ethank
I quantify successful is we used it as the backbone of a campaign for one of
the biggest bands and the world and saw very little usage.

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mikeocool
The QR code is only failing in advertising contexts. Printed out your boarding
pass for a flight lately? It probably had QR code, but the beauty is you
barely needed to know about it. All you had to do was print your boarding pass
and then stick under the scanner.

In advertising contexts, you need to recognize the QR code, know what the hell
it is, know how to search for an app in your phone's app store that will read
it, download that app, open that app, and scan the QR code. All to be sent to
an advertiser's website.

For any consumer to do that, regardless of how interested they are in the ad,
is a massive ask.

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ryanlchan
Key insight here is right at the middle: "People will not adopt a technical
solution that serves to replace a manual task, if that solution is less
efficient than the manual task it replaces. How could we think that QR codes
for marketing would work any better than CueCat? Did we not learn the first
time?"

No matter how great technically, no matter what the reward is at the end, if
you can't get people to use the product it's not useful.

~~~
prodigal_erik
As I saw it, the CueCat's problem was needing to be tethered to a computer
with web access, which nobody at the time habitually carried in their pocket.

~~~
LargeWu
Also, it required a very specific hardware device.

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FuzzyDunlop
Sensational title aside, the key issue is identified a number of times in the
article itself - creativity. They're not being exploited properly and as has
been said, what's the point in having a scannable code that does nothing more
than redirect to a website?

Firstly, it seems to be hard for these agencies to appreciate that someone
scanning a code will want to see a mobile optimised site, not the standard
one.

Secondly, they need to add value, so make them do something the user will find
useful (which most of the time isn't loading a URL). Eg. as contact codes on
the side of taxis and on their posters; as SMS ones that prepare a text for
you to sign up to a service or enter a competition, etc. Even those are basic
but are a convenience.

There are lots of things to do, but none of this means QR codes are failing
(there's no solid evidence in the article to support that claim). Just that
there's no imagination or actual thinking going on.

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og1
I don't think the qr code is failing, but actually just becoming mainstream.

Seems to be trending up pretty well. <http://www.google.com/trends?q=qr+code>

Whether it is due to marketers putting the codes everywhere or actual value is
yet to be said, but certainly don't think the technology itself is failing.

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yannickmahe
I saw one use of the QR code that impressed me: in my city (Lyon, France), on
bus stops, there are QR codes. Following them leads to a web page where you
get the waiting time for the next buses. This is a quick and cheap way to
display the waiting time without adding hardware to the bus stops.

The only good point I see for the QR code is that it makes it easier to get to
a webpage. That made perfect use of it.

~~~
donohoe
It would be faster and easier for a Short URL in place of a QR code in most
cases.

For example - at the bus stop with a QR code I would have:

\- locate an app I rarely use in the Menu

\- open app

\- depending on app, hit button to go to camera

\- snap photo

\- processing time

\- opens web browser... (sometimes I'd get a confirmation page prior to the
action)

With a Short URL:

\- open browser thats prominently placed on my phone

\- tap in Short URL (bit.ly/xYz123XyZ)

Manually typing a Short URL is a very low pain point in comparison to QR codes
these days.

~~~
DanLivesHere
Or even text messaging. Text "M15 AT 53" to "311411" and you find out when the
next bus is going to be at your stop. That'd work.

~~~
dane
Melbourne uses a four digit number for tram stops (for use via text, automated
voice, web and apps) and it works quite well.
<http://tramtracker.yarratrams.com.au/phone/>

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tomkarlo
The problem is that QR codes are used to replace simple (static/generic) URLs.
If you have a usage where there is potentially a wide range of values, they
become more useful, but since they're being used in mass printing /
advertising, they're going to be the same all over and in that case you might
as well just use an easy URL.

QR codes work great when being used in items where there is a large (think
100,000) number of potential unique values. That scale means they shouldn't be
used for a product SKU, for example - they should be used for a specific
object like a SKU/serial # combo. Never enter a serial number again to
register a product, for example.

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deadcyclo
Here in Europe I have seen lots of smart use of QR codes in advertising
lately:

\- Scan the QR code to receive a rebate coupon for the product advertised \-
Scan the QR code to receive a two for one deal on tickets for what ever event
advertised \- Places like 7-eleven offering you a free soda with your hot dog
if you scan the QR code on the poster in the window before entering \- Scan
the QR code for an exclusive trailer for the movie advertised \- An ice cream
company introduced a new ice cream and you could scan the QR code on the
advertisement to get a free ice cream \- Adverisements for universities where
scanning the QR code would let you order their information brochures sent home
to you \- Scan the QR code to be informed when the advertised service is
available in your location

And several other uses I can't remember at the moment.

My point is that it is, like the author of the article indicates, quite
possible to make great use of QR codes in advertisements.

Many of the mentioned campaigns I also know worked great. For example during
the free ice cream campaign, the local 7-eleven was filled with teenagers with
smartphones getting their free ice cream every time I went there.

I've also noticed that most of the campaigns that succeed don't "just slap a
QR code in their", they give you information about it: "Scan the QR code to
get a free ice cream using your cell phone. If you have an iPhone go to xxx to
get a scanner, if you have an Android xxx, if you have a Nokia xxx" or similar
solutions. It's kind of a chicken and egg problem. Nobody will use QR codes if
they don't know what they are, or how they work. And nobody will known what
they are and how they work, unless somebody tells them.

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parfe
About the only ad that would get me to scan a QR code would be the promise of
an explicit coupon code/discount.

My memory fogged up since so much time has passed, but last time I scanned a
QR code I ended up on some fast food company's home page. What exactly did
they expect me to do at that point? A coupon for a free softie/mcflurry
whatever dessert product would have at least encouraged me to go visit the
restaurant.

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bokchoi
The one place I've used QR codes successfully is when friends visit and want
to use my wireless on their phones. I've got a QR code for the SSID and
another for the password. For laptops, I can hand out a little USB drive with
a text file they can open and copy/paste.

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badclient
I guess I was living in a fantasy world where I thought I could just take a
picture of one with my iphone's camera app and something would happen. I tried
a couple times and nothing happend.

So, how _does_ it work?

~~~
cwe
For the iPhone, you'd need an app that can read it. Google's app is probably
the best for it, since it provides so much functionality otherwise as well.
Considering android's marketshare, though, I think these do have the potential
to take off. Well, as long as people take this guys advice and make them point
to coupons, or an actual campaign, rather than the URL on the billboard.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking of using them in a print book/brochure as an easy way
to get to multimedia. A photo book, for example, with a QR code pointing to a
relevant video. Turns a book into an app!

~~~
badclient
The whole needing an app kills it. If its built into the native camera to
recognize these codes I can really see it taking off. No more needing to type
long landing page urls when you see a billboard or needing an exclusive short
url when you can just point your camera and see the intended page open up on
your iphone browser.

~~~
ericflo
On Android that's how it is.

~~~
recursive
I just got an Android phone, and it's not. Just now, I went to this website on
my computer: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code>

I took a photo of QR picture with the built in camera. Nothing.

I have to use google goggles or something to interpret the QR code.

~~~
pyre
<http://code.google.com/p/zxing/wiki/GetTheReader>

~~~
recursive
That's not the point. I already have an app to do it. That's not built into
the os. That's definitely an extra download.

~~~
pyre
I wasn't disagreeing.

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ajithravi
QR codes are useful/useless depending on the way you engineer it, and the
action that follows once when its read. We have integrated QR codes in our
app, and the app comes with a QR scanner. It makes it so much easier to do
several actions, and when we did our soft sales and customer feedback everyone
loved the ease of use and the results. Actions like on reading a QR code
taking you to a static website is rather useless. But, if upon reading a QR
code you can initiate an action its pretty powerful.

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rayiner
I'm pretty sure it's because it's a solution looking for a problem as far as
advertising goes. Much better served putting a "www.wheretofindus.com" on your
ad instead.

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7952
It would be much more interesting to see stats about the use of QR codes in an
actual campaign. If they generate even a few hits, and create a few new
customers, it could be worth the inches on the ad. After all, they don't loose
anything by using a QR code.

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grimen
This is what we been saying for long time now, and with "our" solution there's
no need for barcodes - we rely 100% on "the image". No names as that will only
lead to bashing, so we'll just simply add on to this chorus: Barcodes are
dying.

Demo coming soon.

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mrcharles
I would argue the QR code is failing because my phone can't read them without
downloading an app.

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efsavage
It's ugly and people want to use where they are also spending millions of
dollars to make things _not_ ugly. End of story.

Oh, and in the interest of making the future happen just a little bit faster,
please fire anyone who thought otherwise on the way out.

