Bottom line, they link you to content that you cant get without typing in some url into your phone. They are convenient when its relevant. Passing by a restaurant you might want to go to later, launch app with one hand, scan code, keep walking, review menu... They are links that transcend platforms, would you be just at apposed to a rfid tag that you just swipe your device over to connect? I think they are extremely useful when used correctly. They save time and they dissolve errors. They are essentially internet links removed from computers... when I hear the anti qr code arguments I think to my self, well are you against hyperlinks? Do you avoid clicking links that could give you additional information about something your interested in? Then whats your beef with a link on a movie poster or can of soup? They're here to stay until replaced by a nicer looking swifter alternative but the concept will never go away.
Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
101–110 of 152 posts
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#102Bottom line, they link you to content that you cant get without typing in some url into your phone. They are convenient when its relevant. Passing by a restaurant you might want to go to later, launch app with one hand, scan code, keep walking, review menu... They are links that transcend platforms, would you be just at apposed to a rfid tag that you just swipe your device over to connect? I think they are extremely…
The most useless QR code I saw was this movie poster http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2011/08/19/Martha-Marcy-poster_... which led to a website... wait for it... in flash! (and yes, I could have flash on my Android, but I chose not to)
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#103I think this boils down to the basic rule: don't disrespect your audience. I keep going to meetings where people suggest using QR codes to advertise a product. And I ask the obvious question: when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? No one can ever answer. But there's a vague sense that somewhere, out there, "those people" are using QR codes. What's funny is no one seems to know who th…
> When have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Saturday I used a QR code when I was in a store, trying to get more details on a grill I was thinking of buying. I guess it worked, because I got more information and got the grill. I laughed when QR codes came out, but can think of more than just that instance when I started using them. QR codes are ugly, but their success relies on them bein…
I agree that's a nice use case (to get details about a grill in a store), but it's not an example of advertising.
Even for that use case, QR codes seem like an interim solution, while we wait for better recognition apps (photo [of object or tag] -> recognition software -> search -> detailed info about object). An example of this is the Google Goggles app (which is not to be confused with Google Glass):
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#104Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not really because then I have to type a bunch of characters instead of just clicking a button. QR Codes are nice macros, in the right places. They don't necessarily belong on every uncovered surface, but in many cases they can transfer a relatively large amount of data quickly and easily. I think we're still figuring out QR Codes and the proper applications of them. I remember usenet discussions in 1996 asking "Why…
I guess I'm old and inept, but I've never gotten a QR code to scan properly with a "click of a button."
Odd. I've never had any trouble scanning them, even on my old G1. The camera on that thing had trouble with normal UPCs at times.
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#105Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wouldn't it have bee just as effective to have http://bestbuy.com/12345 on the label.
Not really because then I have to type a bunch of characters instead of just clicking a button. QR Codes are nice macros, in the right places. They don't necessarily belong on every uncovered surface, but in many cases they can transfer a relatively large amount of data quickly and easily. I think we're still figuring out QR Codes and the proper applications of them. I remember usenet discussions in 1996 asking "Why…
I think there should just be a font and border standard that is easily isolated and orc'd. That would make the human readable url and the device scannable URL one in the the same.
But I realized something about QR codes. Though they can contain any text, the vast majority of the time they're URLs. But they're not just base URLs. They contain query variables that people couldn't be bothered to type in, but which let the advertiser know which exact code (or which print run at least) was scanned.
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#106Earlier quoted context omitted.
when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? Shopping for dishwashers in-store, even after doing lots of online research. The in-store display tags have very minimal info. Best Buy has/had a QRCode on each product that took you to a webpage for that item with a lot more info, reviews, etc. It was one of the main reasons I actually bought a dishwasher AT Best Buy instead of elsewhere.
Wouldn't it have bee just as effective to have http://bestbuy.com/12345 on the label.
The better replacement will just be NFC once it becomes popular.
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
It took me 28 seconds to type in this sentence on my cell phone. I didn't use auto-correct, so it's a pretty good match for typing a url, if a little long. That time did include going back through to correct for errors. Comparatively, I've never seen a QR code scan in under a minute, either on my own phone or on one from my friends, family, and coworkers. I could see the glasses thing being a pain.
>I've never seen a QR code scan in under a minute, How is it taking you that long to scan QR codes? I'm using a free barcode scanner with a fairly slow phone (LG Optimus) and I just pulled up a bunch of QR codes to scan. Every one is done in under a second. It takes the same amount of time for me to pull up either the keyboard or the barcode scanner, and I definitely can't type a url in under 1 second, so the scanner…
Benchmark against NFC though... :P
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#108I think this boils down to the basic rule: don't disrespect your audience. I keep going to meetings where people suggest using QR codes to advertise a product. And I ask the obvious question: when have you ever scanned a QR code and learned about/bought something? No one can ever answer. But there's a vague sense that somewhere, out there, "those people" are using QR codes. What's funny is no one seems to know who th…
Well, just a few days ago I was trying the new system in our apartment complex where we can use a credit card to add value to the smart card that is used in the local washer and drier systems. I had to type in the url to get it going. Well, I used the smartphone keyboard and got it in with a minimal number of typos which I quickly corrected, but you know what? If they had a QR code that I could scan, it would be just a couple of taps and a couple of seconds and much, much more convenient.
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#109The best uses of QR codes are DEEP LINKS. Not as "mystery links", not to look modern, but to jump directly to one item in the middle of a hierarchy or a pool of options.
Check out how Tesco used QR codes in Korea to make a virtual grocery store: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJVoYsBym88
This is a great use of QR that is a mile away from the typical "scan this instead of typing two words and pressing .com" usage that is typical in the US and confuses people as to why QR even exists (as in this comic).
Re: Dear Marketers: Enough with the QR codes
#110Not that I'd ever bother looking up what it encodes, but the pencil-shave qr code http://pinterest.com/pin/23151385554160440/ is pretty damn good looking.