How to Use a QR Code for Your Ecommerce Business

You can use several kinds of QR codes to boost your ecommerce business’s online traffic and improve the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. 

These include: 

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

URL QR Codes

You can use URL QR codes to control how you direct traffic towards and from your online business.

For example, you can include QR codes for ecommerce on printed advertising platforms (e.g., brochures, flyers, billboards, etc.), which visitors will be able to scan in order to be taken to your business website. 

At the same time, you may want to include a specific URL QR code that directs users to either a specific page within your website or to a different site entirely. 

This can allow you to “control” your traffic more efficiently, which can increase your online sales and revenue.

PDF QR Codes

You can use PDF QR codes for ecommerce product packaging. Such PDF documents may include instructions as to how to use or “set up” a purchased product. In such cases, including them in a digital form — via the use of QR codes — can be a great option because it improves customers’ experiences. 

This is because it ensures that your customers will not have to worry about losing or accidentally throwing away any important document after they receive their product and will always be able to view it digitally with a simple scan.

Social Media QR Codes

Social media QR codes are QR codes that direct users towards your business’s social media profiles. These can include:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• YouTube

As an ecommerce business, you will want a QR code that takes your visitors to your most active social media platform(s). This can benefit you in several ways, including:

• Improved brand loyalty
• Increased advertising revenue 
• Increased sponsorship deals
• Increased sales revenue

Including a YouTube QR code can also allow you to provide your prospective customers with in-depth explainer videos without them having to browse through your entire channel in order to find what they are looking for.

Contact QR Codes

Contact QR codes are all about improving your customers’ experiences. This could relate to making inquiries about your products and/or services or to providing feedback. 

Similar to all other types of QR codes, contact QR codes allow your visitors to get in contact with you without needing to find your contact details independently. 

At the same time, contact QR codes ensure that your customers will not accidentally type in the wrong email or phone number when attempting to get in contact with you.

Making QR codes for ecommerce businesses can be done by following these steps:

• Find a QR code generator that is suitable for your business
• Customize your QR codes
• Test, download, and share your QR codes

When deciding what QR code generator to use as an ecommerce business, you should prioritize the following factors:

• Ease of use: You should pick a QR code generator that is fairly simple and straightforward to use. This is because you are likely to create QR codes on a regular basis as a small business and will ideally want to waste as little time as possible.
• Price: When it comes to static QR codes, you should be able to find several QR code generators that offer them entirely for free. Make sure there are no “hidden costs” (e.g., branded QR codes, limited number of scans, sign-up process, etc.). 
• Privacy: Consider how many details you will have to provide in order to use a QR code generator. The most user-friendly options can generally be used immediately and without providing any private information.
• Number of features: Different QR code generators can offer different kinds of QR codes. Make sure that the provider you choose allows you to create all of your desired QR codes for ecommerce.

Customizing your QR codes is fairly important as a small business because it can make them look more “trustworthy” to prospective consumers. Having said that, keep in mind that you should never sacrifice your QR codes’ effectiveness for aesthetics. 

Most QR code readers were made to read the color contrast seen in a conventional black and white QR code (e.g., light background and dark foreground). You should not deviate too far from this, even if you do change your QR codes colors or add your own logo.

As a final step, you will want to test your QR codes. This should be done by using more than one operating system. Assuming they work as intended, you will then be ready to download them in your preferred format and share them with your audience.

You can use QR codes for ecommerce to blend your digital and printed advertising traffic. 

This can significantly expand your marketing reach, which can benefit you in the following ways:

• Increased revenue
• Increased conversions 
• Improved ROI on marketing campaigns

QR codes can also be used to improve your brand image and incentivize brand loyalty among your long-term customers (e.g., by facilitating customer feedback and improving user experiences). 

You can also use QR codes to direct users away from your ecommerce website — which may receive significant traffic — towards other advertising platforms (e.g., social media).