How to Use a QR Code for Your Etsy Shop

When it comes to finding the best QR code for Etsy shop purposes, you want to use QR codes that allow you to:

• Increase your social media following.
• Direct consumers towards a specific Etsy page or URL website.
• Become more accessible (e.g., through contact QR codes).
• Improve your online marketing campaign 
• Increase your sales and online conversions

This can be done by creating the following QR code types:

• Social media QR codes (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
• URL QR codes
• Contact QR codes (e.g., phone number QR codes, email QR codes, etc.).
• SMS QR codes
• Image QR codes

Social Media QR Codes

A social media QR code is any QR code that directs users towards a social media profile, including:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

Including these within your Etsy shop can be beneficial because it can allow your prospective buyers to follow you on your social media channels very easily, meaning that they will be more likely to remember you in the future or make additional purchases as a result of your social media marketing. 

Increasing your social media following will also benefit you indirectly, as — generally speaking — a higher following can translate to more advertising power and sponsors.

URL QR Codes

You can use URL QR codes to direct users towards a specific Etsy page, a limited deal, or even an entirely different business website. 

This is beneficial because it can allow you to direct traffic in a very controlled manner, which can lead to more sales and revenue. 

As with most QR code types, you will want to include a small call-to-action next to your URL QR codes that lets your visitors know why they should bother scanning it.

Contact QR Codes

Contact QR codes really come down to valuing your consumers' time and convenience. 

By including a small QR code of your phone number or email on your Etsy shop, you are ensuring that any potential buyers will not have to spend time manually looking up your details and trying to get in contact with you. 

At the same time, contact QR codes are great because they minimize the possibility of a user typing your contact details incorrectly.

SMS QR Codes

SMS QR codes can be scanned in order to display a pre-written text message on your users’ phones automatically.

This means that your users will simply need to click on “send” in order to sign up to your text or email listings without having to find your number or type in anything independently.

Image QR Codes

Since Etsy limits the number of photos that you can include as a seller, you may want to include an image QR code that directs users towards a gallery of your products. 

This can enable you to showcase all of your products more effectively and attract more customers and sales.

You can make a QR code for Etsy shop purposes by following these steps:

• Find an online QR code generator that is suitable
• Customize your QR codes so they align with your branding
• Test your QR codes
• Download and Share your QR codes on your Etsy shop

Finding an Online QR Code Generator

Picking an online QR code generator can seem difficult because there are so many out there, but there are features you should prioritize when looking at the best QR code generators. These include:

• Price: When it comes to static QR code generators, you should be able to find several that are free of charge. Make sure that you select a provider that does not include their own logo within your free QR codes. 
• Ease of use: This is very important as a small business, as you do not want to waste any time trying to figure out how to use a QR code generator. It should be a quick and simple process that you can rely on whenever you need a new QR code.
• Privacy: Consider what information you have to provide in exchange for your QR codes. If a sign-up process or your personal details are required, you may want to opt for a different provider.
• Number of QR code types: This one may seem obvious, but it's worth stating nonetheless. You will want to pick a QR code generator that can create all of your desired QR codes types. 

Customizing Your QR Codes

Customizing your QR codes with shapes, colors, and logos that align with your business’s branding can be a great way of building your brand image as a small business.

When deciding how to customize your QR codes, keep in mind that you should try not to deviate from the traditional color contrast seen in conventional QR codes too significantly (e.g., light background and dark foreground) in order to avoid QR code scanning problems. 

Recommended: Experiencing scanning difficulties? See our guide on how to fix your QR code.

Testing Your QR Codes

Testing your QR codes is essential, particularly when you are planning to use your Etsy QR codes on printed surfaces as well (e.g., flyers, brochures, billboards, etc.). 

The last thing you want is to spend time creating and advertising your QR code only to find out that it does not work properly or that it takes too long to scan.

Testing your QR codes should ideally be done by using more than one operating software (e.g., iOS and Android). If your QR code is not working, see if there’s a problem as a result of its:

• Color contrast
• Complexity
• QR code error correction level
• Image quality

Download and Share Your QR Codes

After you have tested your QR code for an Etsy shop, all that is left is for you to download them in your preferred format and share them online. Your online visitors will then be able to scan them by using their mobile devices.

You should use a QR code for Etsy shop purposes to help your business in two ways. 

1. You can direct traffic towards your Etsy store. This can be done from both offline and online advertising platforms.
2. You can direct traffic from your Etsy store to other platforms. This can allow you to build your brand image and increase your Etsy store sales indirectly.

QR codes are great for blending digital and offline advertising. 

Including them on printed surfaces can ensure that any passing visitors that are interested are able to instantly find your online platforms where purchases can be made, or where they can follow you in order to enquire about further information down the line.