I have been aware of them for a while, but only really today (Note to self, pop in on Gurties thread about "What have you learned this week") have I realised their power.

If you are not sure, they are 2 dimensional barcodes, that can be created on the fly, read by smartphones, and cost nothing to create.  The can hold huge amounts of data, and as they work cross platforms, the big companies seem to be using them more and more (Been big in Japan for years, but fairly new to the UK)


It seems that they can be made in php, so websites can be used to sell on phones, they can be tied to apps, contact details can be shared from websites to phones, and anything to phone really.

As a pure internet player, I am struggling to see all the benefits, but for anyone cross chanel, it has got to be hugh.

A present, I am thinking about:

1) Something on the contact page.
2) by product page, so people can select then order on the phone, or share pages on the phone
3) special offers on affiliate sites (can even track them)
3)  Going into print ...  oh no!

http://searchenginewatch.com/3642255

Quotebillboards

That's what I was thinking, for the curious young mind to investigate

I'm amazed it hasn't had more uptake. I keep wanting to try it with one client who has retail stores - to link to more info, technical data, other products you may like etc...  seems like almost no one, even techies with smartphones, has really heard of it though.

Thx ukgimp, nice article.


Just thinking of those cheap billboards on the sides of motorways, but then we don't want to cause a crash do we  

Just the QR would get some interest, like the origonal orange adv.  I still remember that.

Would get QRs a higher profle if nothing else.  Surprised they arnt used on TV.....   got to be quick to catch it... (But then repeat often enough that any idiot could)


ah, you could have a treasure hunt... remember, year saw it mentioned here first!! 

 

Damn, and I thought that was my idea!

I tried to persuade an estate agent to put them on forsale boards.  Each board would have a unique one + a unique human readable number.  Their CMS would tie the number to a particular property.  Beautiful - scan the code and see the full details whilst you are stood outside.    Even offered a smartphone app for the guy who sticks the boards up so that it could be instant.

Simple. Useful. Could really drive enquiries.  They didn't get it.  I even drew pictures FFS.

Also suggested them to a visitor attraction as part of a system to have guided tours on your smart phone.  similar reaction.  No bugger gets them.  Weird though - everyone recognises them, but never seem to have wondered what they are.

there are so many potentially good ideas you could use 'em for.

Personally I want to paint one on a roof and see if anyone finds in on Google maps. Reckon if you were prepared to give a special offer which was worth having to anyone who got to the destination page that would, after a perhaps substantial wait, get a lot of coverage when someone finds it.

Although of course even that may have been done, my bit of Google maps is at least four years out of date.

I am working on a mate who owns a student pub....

A treasure hunt round pubs,
Free Nobbies nuts with a pint if you can show you scanned it.
Pick up facebook followers (I assume you can do that fairly simply)  
Deal of the week in the student union... pay in advance with Paypal...

I love this brain storming, but none of it helps my business keep thinking Rupert 

Jason,
thx...  I knew I could relay on you 

I have considered this in an app, but not thought to bring in the QR code.   Unfortunately/fortunaltely there are so many brands out there, that it is never a direct comparison.

Either way, I need to go round the shop with my barcode scanner, seeing what info I can pick up from the different stores.   Thank you. If I can pull this into my app...


I HATE Shopping! Need to find a young girl who doesn't........

ok - why not send people out to an event where there are a lot of people who are likely your target audience. Have them wearing your jackets etc, and have a big tag with a QR code on it attached to each one. On scan drop them into the product page together with a nice voucher for 10% off.

Obviously if you can get Princess Beatrice in one at Ascot then you get bonus points. Fergie not so much.

clothing with QR codes - hmm.. many posibilities there I think

QR Tattoos ?  How brave do you feel? 

wow!

Can also be created with Google Charts: http://code.google.com/apis/chart/image/docs/gallery/qr_codes.html

Target: Customers on the Go
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704132204576285631212564952.html
When customers scan the little squares with their smartphone cameras, a coffee menu pops up on their screens. Then they can order a cup of coffee on the train—and have it waiting when they arrive at one of Ethical Bean's shops.