The significance and popularity of QR codes are raging across all industries including those who have digitalized themselves. Certainly, e-commerce is no exception. In fact, it is a major platform that has the potential to reform the way we buy or sell, or at least, make the process more engaging or efficient one.
Statista reports have good news for businesses having online sales. They have predicted that e-commerce sales will cover more than 17% of worldwide retail sales by next two years. This also indicates a probable rise in the number of e-commerce contenders as well.
Considering these facts, it is essential for all current businesses selling online to compete more effectively not only to stay in the race but also be on the top. The most effective and modern way to ensure this is using QR codes.
Using QR codes in your marketing strategy is actually a proven and most unique way to be the industry player. The e-commerce giant, Amazon, itself has leverage QR codes to drive to the next level of popularity. Here are some ways in which you can use these codes for the same purpose:
On Products
Amazon has done this in 2014. It introduced its own label only for prime users under which several supplements having product labels with a distinct QR code were released. These codes, when scanned, revealed the ingredients in detail to the customers.
This helped them to upkeep the industrial standard of transparency. For an e-commerce portal, service or product transparency is perhaps indispensable to obtain a competitive edge over its branded or non-branded competitors.
You can truly have QR codes on both packages and products but each serving a unique and useful purpose. For example, you can have a QR code on the package to reveal the soft copy of the generated bill and have a code on your product to reveal the ingredients. Both can share the details in the PDF or image format.
At Local Stores
You can actually put up your unique QR codes at local stores to allow customers to make cashless payments, invite them to a sweepstake, or give them a discount on their next purchase. This is again where Amazon has set itself as a motivational role model.
The digital trinities namely, Apple, Amazon, and Google have released their own QR code-based payment mechanism for customers shopping from retail stores. Along with wallet balance and bank account linking for a swifter online shopping experience, customers can now use Amazon Pay for paying their shopping bills at local retail stores.
All they need is to download and open the Amazon app, click Scan to scan a code at the shop, and pay. Such partnerships with local stores can bring more sellers for your e-commerce portal by motivating them to sell on your portal.
On Gift Receipts
Do you offer gift cards? If not, then you can introduce them now with an interesting element called the QR code. Just add it to gift receipts and the receiver, upon scanning it, can instantly share a thank you note, learn about the gifted product, or be a part of some other promo offer.
This is perhaps an engaging way for an e-commerce portal to initiate an emotional bond for having a lasting relationship with customers, which is something that the local retailers cannot.
On Booklets
There are several online shops offering paper booklets or catalogs for sharing the details of their products and services. Now, how about adding a QR code to a booklet for some or all products?
This code can directly take the customers to that product page for shopping, sharing the same on social media, or simply checking other similar products or accessories. How about sharing a video showing how to use that product? Sounds exciting, isn’t it?
This is how you can maximize customer engagement in the most efficient way. At least, they will not have to spend time in searching that product online.
On Flyers
It is true that most e-commerce companies will have good budgets kept aside for their marketing campaigns. However, start-ups or small companies are less likely to do so due to lack of capital.
Thus, they are more likely to use print media. Well, it is a fact that such marketing tools have not been quite effective for e-commerce websites. However, QR codes are just reversing this effect. By putting a QR code on print media such as flyers and brochures, you connect your customers to your own digital shop in just a few seconds.
Conclusion
You can easily leverage QR codes in the aforementioned ways to take your e-commerce portal up to the maximum possible height.