(The QR code for our blog)
Definition
QR
Code is two dimensional barcode (datamatrix) that is designed to have its
contents decoded at a high speed. The acronym QR is derived from the term Quick
Response. The company Denso Wave originally spawned the term “QR” as the
creator intended that such barcodes and their contents were to decoded at high
speed electronically.
History and Development
In
1970, IBM developed UPC symbols consisting of 13 digits of numbers to enable automatic
input into computers.
1n
1974, Code 39 that can encode approximately 30 digits of alphanumeric
characters was developed.
In
the early 1980s, multistaged symbol codes where approximately 100 digits of
characters can be stored were developed.
As
informatisation developed fast nowadays, people ask for more innovated
technologies which can store information and represent languages other than
English, therefore, a symbol with higher density is required.
As
a result, in 1994, Denso, one of major Toyota group companies, developed QR
Code, which can contain maximum 7000 digits of characters.
In
2000, QR Code was approved as an ISO international standard (ISO/IEC18004).
QR
Code is a matrix symbol which has been developed as the one enabling all of
high capacity, high density printing of datamatrix, and high speed reading of
maxi code based on the research made on their characteristics. Two-dimensional
symbols generally contain much more data amount when compared with linear
symbols (approximately 100 times more). Modern QR Codes can store up to 7089
characters using the numeric character set—almost 4 times as much information
as the first QR Codes of the mid 1990s.
Figure 2: The
Development of QR Code
QR Code vs. Conventional Barcode
QR
Code
|
Conventional
Barcode
|
|
Information
|
More
-
Up to 7,089 characteristics
|
Less
-
Maximum 20 digits
|
Creation
|
QR
Code generator (Free of charge)
|
Relative
complex
|
Decode
|
Any
decoding software
|
Need
special scanner (not cheap)
|
Unlike
the standard barcode system in use today, QR codes are far
more powerful and can contain much more information. While out current
barcoding system holds information only one-way, QR Code holds info both
vertically and horizontally.
The Structure of QR Code
QR
Code is a matrix type symbol with a cell structure arranged in a square. It
consists of the functionality patterns for making reading easy and the data
area where the data is stored. QR Code has finder patterns, alignment patterns,
timing patterns and a quiet zone.
Figure 3: The
Structure of QR Code
- Finder Pattern is a pattern for detecting the position of the QR Code. By arranging this pattern at the three corners of a symbol, the position, the size, and the angle of the symbol can be detected.
- Alignment Patter is a pattern for correcting the distortion of the QR Code. It is highly effective for correcting nonlinear distortions.
- Timing Pattern is a pattern for identifying the central coordinate of each cell in the QR Code with black and white patterns arranged alternately. It is used for correcting the central coordinate of the data cell when the symbol is distorted or when there is an error for the cell pitch.
- Quite Zone is a margin space necessary for reading the QR Code. This quite zone makes it easier to have the symbol detected from among the image read by the CCD sensor.
- Data area is an area for storing the QR Code data. The gray part in Figure 4 represents the data area
The Specifications of the QR Code
Table 1: The
Specifications of the QR Code
- Symbol Size—QR Code can have its size freely selected according to the data volume to be stored and the reading method.
- Information Type and Volume—QR Code can handle various types of data such as numerical characters, alphabets, signs, Kanji characters, Hiragana, Katakana, control signs, and images.
- Data Conversion Efficiency—QR Code has 4 types of conversion mode for encoding the data. Each mode has had considerations to improve its conversion efficiency.
- Error Correction Functionality—QR Code had error correction functionality for restoring the data.
Overview of QR Code
Article Corporate Brand Reputation and Brand Crisis Management mentioned that ‘For decades corporate communications have played a meaningful role in building and supporting an organization’s identity and reputation. In today’s world, communications importantly include the organization’s website, where it can tell its side of the issue and establish a conversation/response capability.’ As a result, QR Code emerged with the higher requirements of communications.
QR Code first hit mainstream when they were initially used for tracking parts by vehicle manufacturers. Then companies started to see a new scope for where QR Codes could be used elsewhere within the world. The most commercial use for QR Code is in the telecommunication industry where the mobile phone seems to be the biggest driver of their popularity. Just as Article The Hypercompetitive Global Marketplace: the Importance of Intuition and Creativity in Expatriate Managers said: ‘Global economic integration, domestic deregulation, and the evolution of information and telecommunication technologies have stimulated organizations to globalize their market positioning options in the past 5 years. ' And also, in the Article Globalization: A World-Systems Perspective, the author claimed that:'The information technology has created a context in which the global market, rather than separate national markets, is the relevant arena for economic competition.' The usage of QR code in the telecommunication industry may further stimulate the progress of globalization.
With
the technology of mobile phones constantly expanding, especially within mobile
Internet, QR Codes seem to be the perfect solution to quickly and efficiently
bring mobile phone users onto the mobile web. QR Codes make their contents the
perfect link between offline publications and smartphones. Magazines, business
cards, newspapers, advertisements, posters or any medium that could display
print can now connect a smartphone user to a specific webpage or allow users to
download a file.
Nearly
all mobile phone has a digital camera in today’s world. People can simply take
a mobile phone such as iPhone, use the camera, along with decoding software to
capture a picture of the QR Code, of which the QR Code software decoder can
then transform the data held with the QR Code to a meaning action for the mobile
phone such as connecting to a web address. This can be done within milliseconds
making the transformation from a user’s mobile phone to the mobile web
instantaneous.
The Uses of QR Code in Different Industries
As article - Cross-cultural Awareness mentioned, 'to get the information and effective communication you need, you have to find alternative approaches.' Therefore, only QR Code can be applied to different industries as many as possible can enhance QR Code's capability to make the communication between industries and customers better. The followings are the examples of industries that QR Code is applied to:
- QR Code in Advertising
QR
code now is widely used in various fields. One typical industry where QR code
is popular is commercial industry. Some marketers even called 2011 “The Year of
the QR Code” and predicted that mobile tagging would become mainstream.
QR
code allows companies a new way to target their customers or potential
customers. Generally speaking, people
who pay attention to the latest technologies and look for most updated items
are the major target market.
Since
QR codes can carry plentiful information, connecting the offline world to the
online world, which shows enormous potential for marketers to make use of.
Customer can easily scan the QR code by their smart phones and gather more
information on the products. Companies can utilize QR codes to quickly direct
customers to the product website or Google Maps URLs. Many companies also
choose to link the code to their social media sites to promote their special
products and sales. In the era of social media, most of customers are members
of at least some of the social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, it is
the right time to extend the marketing battlefield to social media sites. QR
code is one of the most suitable technologies which allow companies to directly
link customers to companies’ social websites and offer them special deals or
discounts via the advertisement.
Dr. Marten QR Code Window Cling
Wrigley Gum Packaging QR
Code
Example : Clinique’s QR Code Marketing Campaign
Clinique,
manufacturer of skin care and cosmetic products, utilized QR codes in their
advertisements in 2010. Customers used their smart phones to scan the QR code
in Vogue Magazine which led to Clinique’s website. Clinique provided a coupon
for free shipping for online order as incentive. Besides, customers could
directly make an order via scanning Clinique’s QR code.
Important Notice:
While
QR code is becoming more and more popular in commercials, some of those QR
campaigns still failed. Here are some important notices for marketers to bear
in mind when they execute QR campaigns.
- The place of QR code should be easy to read and scan.
- Clear instruction to introduce how to scan
- Provide incentives ,such as coupon, to encourage customers to scan
- QR Code in Logistics
As article - Globalization 4.0 and the New Logistics said, there is 'a new phrase of global trade and advancements in logistic'.
In order to support the logistic industry, nowadays QR Code is getting
more and more popular in logistics industry. With QR Code, Logistic
companies can store, locate, deliver and track their goods more
effectively and efficiently.
QR Code Inventory System
QR Code Inventory System
In
the past, logistics used barcodes to track goods. There were more than
two linear barcodes printed in the boxes of goods because the system
required multiple scans to obtain specific information founded on a
detached database. The inconvenience caused by multiple barcodes can be
easily improved by incorporating QR code. Since QR code can carry more
information than barcode, all inventory information can be integrated
into one QR code. Companies can install PDA scanners which accelerate
the efficiency of tracking, modifying and reporting of goods.
Courier Tracking Systems
Since
QR code carries more than 300 times information than ordinary barcode,
express companies can choose to install QR code in their courier
tracking systems. Employees easily scan QR codes on packages and
shipping documents by PDA scanners. With the help of QR codes, the whole
process becomes more effective and efficient with less labels and less
scanning.
Custom Tracking System
Companies
can customize the information needed in QR code, including origins,
purchase order, invoice data. They can check the information as needed.
To protect the confidentiality of sensible information, encrypted codes
are used to track special information.
- QR Code in Retailing
There’s
a trend of using QR code technology in the retailing industry. For example,
using this technology, Tesco in Korea (named “Homeplus” in Korea) has set up
virtual grocery stores in locations like subway or metro stations so that people
can literally do their grocery shopping while waiting for the train.
Like
in the picture, Tesco has plastered posters of the groceries on the wall of
station, and each item has a QR code which the shoppers can scan with a
smartphone camera. Once the code is scanned, the shopper will be taken into an
online shopping website and the detailed information of the scanned item will
be decoded and clearly displayed on the phone. When the shopper confirms
purchasing, the payment can be done automatically by the phone, and the item
will be delivered directly to the shopper’s home. The graph shows clearly the
QR code based purchasing process.
This
kind of QR-code based online purchasing has a few advantages for both the
customers as well as retailers. Firstly, in the countries like Korea, the
normal life of people is quite busy, shoppers always shop once a week and
purchase a lot grocery items, which is really lag. With this kind of virtue
store on train/subway station, the shoppers can purchase the needed items
timely and won’t waste a lot of time.
Secondly, in some major cities where the driving isn’t really an option, by getting groceries delivered right to home, people don’t need to lug heavy bags on the train and up a couple of flights of stairs before they reach their door. And this kind of problem is common in East Asia where large cities are always densely populated.
Thirdly, a retailer can collect information on the shopper, such as when and where a code was scanned, how many codes were scanned and etc. And hence the retailers can conduct some analysis about the shopping pattern of the customers, and provide the customer with specially designed promotions, like coupons. Besides, currently, most retailers have similar loyalty program just available to the card holders, but by using QR code, the program can be promoted to the mobile phone holders.
Fourthly, as the QR-code store is virtual, so a lot rental costs can be saved. And online selling also benefit from it, according to Tesco, after the QR-code stores established in Korea, the number of new online registered members rose by 76% and online sales increased 130%.
Secondly, in some major cities where the driving isn’t really an option, by getting groceries delivered right to home, people don’t need to lug heavy bags on the train and up a couple of flights of stairs before they reach their door. And this kind of problem is common in East Asia where large cities are always densely populated.
Thirdly, a retailer can collect information on the shopper, such as when and where a code was scanned, how many codes were scanned and etc. And hence the retailers can conduct some analysis about the shopping pattern of the customers, and provide the customer with specially designed promotions, like coupons. Besides, currently, most retailers have similar loyalty program just available to the card holders, but by using QR code, the program can be promoted to the mobile phone holders.
Fourthly, as the QR-code store is virtual, so a lot rental costs can be saved. And online selling also benefit from it, according to Tesco, after the QR-code stores established in Korea, the number of new online registered members rose by 76% and online sales increased 130%.
With
the increasing usage of smartphone, QR codes will become the mainstream of
retailing industry soon. Recent research predicts that two-thirds of retailers
are planning digital mobile initiative launch, and many of these will include a
QR code capability. Manufacturers are already planning to incorporate this
technology into advertising and packaging.
- QR Code in Ticket Selling
QR
code also represents an opportunity for online ticket selling. Nowadays,
although people can purchase ticket online, but most still collect paper ticket
from the counter or ticket vending machine. Now, the online ticket service
provider can generate a QR-code ticket containing necessary identity
information, and directly send it to the buyer’s mobile phone after the payment
is done. The buyer can just use the mobile phone to scan the QR code when check
in.
Currently
in China, all the train ticket has a QR code printed on it, which contains one
specific passenger’s identity information. The QR code can prevent some
scalpers bulk purchase a lot tickets during busy season (e.g. Spring Festival)
and sell at a high price. Although the QR code is still not yet linked with
online train ticket selling, it is a trend and may become realistic in the
future.
Besides
the public transportation, QR-code ticket is also applied in selling movie
ticket, concert ticket, plane ticket or something else. Now the companies which
are providing QR code tickets include Air Asia, NBA, MovieTickets.com, and etc.
According to a study by Juniper research, analysts predict that the market for
mobile ticketing will reach 15 billion delivered tickets by the year 2014.
QR
code ticketing can benefit both ticket issuer and the purchaser. Consumers win
because a digitized ticket is easier to access via their mobile phones, and
they don’t need to waste time to leave the house and get the real paper ticket.
For ticket sellers, they can also reach customers more easily, and save a huge
amount of money by not printing out the paper tickets.
But
the privacy issue is a major concern for the QR-code ticketing, as the QR code
can be easily read by using QR code applicants. For some QR-code ticket which
contains personal information, like the train ticket, may become a threat for
passengers in leaking out privacy. Therefore, the service provider should pay
attention on the security.
QR code is also applied and has potential to be applied in other industries, and without a doubt, QR code enlarges the channel by which customers get information of the company. David Cavett-Goodwin claimed in the Article Making the Case for Corporate Social Responsibility: ' A better informed society will be empowered to ensure that the organizations operate to the benefit of that society.' Therefore, the companies with QR code service may better serve the customers as well as the whole society.
Limitation of QR Code
QR
Codes are everywhere. You can see them on business cards, newspapers,
magazines, posters and so on. Although using QR Codes are quite common these
days, from the views of consumers and marketers, there are some conditions may
put a limit on QR Codes’ usages and development.
- Rely on Other
Tools
QR
Codes cannot stand alone and tell you what it contains. It must rely on other
tools for decoding. As a consumer, smartphone serves as hardware while QR Code
Reader app in smartphone serves as software to decode the QR Codes. They are
the key and a must to decode QR Codes. If you see a QR Code, but you do not
have any QR Code Reader to scan it, you would never know what information the
QR Code contains. This tight relationship put a limit in the usage of QR Codes.
Without any decoding QR Codes devices, QR Codes means nothing to some
consumers.
On
the other side, as a marketer, creating QR Codes is easy by only using QR Code
generator found on the Internet. Also, many websites offer software to
marketers to track their QR Codes. Then, marketers can know when and where the
codes are scanned, and how many times the codes are scanned. Although it is
easy to create and manage, it still cannot stand alone but need the support
from the other tools. If we take logistic company using QR Codes as an example,
those supporting tools or system would need to be more sophisticated and
accurate.
- Particular
Target of Consumers
As
what is mentioned in the previous paragraph, QR Codes need smartphone and QR
Code Reader to decode them. However, even though smartphone sales are
increasing worldwide, not everyone has smartphone and the age groups that have
smartphone are particular. Take the situation in America as an example.
According to Nielsen’s smartphone report 2012, those who have smartphone are
aged from 18 to 44. Higher than 50% of America in these age groups has
smartphone. The percentage is decreased as the ages increase. We suppose that
people having smartphone would have QR Code Reader installed in the smartphone.
Then, as a marketer, you need to decide whether you use QR Codes or not depend
on whom you want to sell. If your target of potential consumers is elderly, you
are better to not use QR Codes to promote your product or service because they
barely use smartphone.
- Without Proper
Control
There
is no management system to control QR Codes. Everyone can create them, post
them and track them. The loose control may bring two problems: A) QR Codes
Viruses and B) Leaks of Privacy. These may result in obstructing the usage and
development of QR Codes. The details are explained as follows:
A) QR Codes Viruses
QR
Codes are almost flooding. You can see them everywhere. As a consumer, because
of curiosity and convenience, sometimes, we would scan the QR Code rather than
typing the websites’ addresses. However, do you ever think that they contain
dangerous information or link you to dangerous websites? Due to no proper QR
Codes control, many junk QR Codes or QR Codes with viruses exist, which may
suddenly ruin your phone or steal your data inside the phone. As the
appearances of QR Codes are extremely similar without any warning or hint to
tell you if they are safe or not, it is always better to keep in mind that you
should ‘SCAN ONLY WHEN YOU TRUST IT’.
B) Leak of Privacy
Without
proper control, anyone can use other personal information to create a QR Code.
If you are a financial consultant or executive candidate or marketer, you would
like the idea to get you more exposure to the public so as to let others know
you and contact you. However, as an individual, normally, you would feel
annoying and offensive if someone post your personal data without permission.
Also, as a consumer, QR Codes tracking system can detect when and where you
scan the QR Codes. Your privacy is somehow leaked. Therefore, in order to
prevent the leak of privacy, it is better to be careful the linked websites
that require the input of personal information and think before you enter those
information.
Conclusion and Future Prospect of QR Code
Without
a doubt, QR Codes provide quick interactive, customized marketing, and
multimedia experience between a consumer and the product or service or brand.
The future of QR Codes is quite optimistic.
Through
reading our blog, you can easily recognize that it is convenient to create QR
Codes with different usage. Basically, any products with limited space on pack
with the need of communicate or showing complicate or much information needs QR
Codes. They save space and money for marketers for advertising. They save time
for consumers for checking information. It is not difficult to predict that
more marketers would use QR Codes as a new way of marketing while more
consumers would use them as a new way of checking and storing information.
According
to Gartner’s Q3 2011 Smartphone Report, the worldwide smartphone sales to end
users are increasing. Take operating system – Android as an example. It
accounted for 52.5 percent of smartphone sales in third quarter of 2011. This
figure is the double of its market share from the third quarter last year.
Smartphone is the key to decode QR Codes. Increasing sale of smartphone is
beneficial for the development of QR Codes.
Sources: Gartner’s
Q3 2011 Smartphone Report
According to
Deleuze, thinking, and for that matter, learning, requires an encounter which
forces us to think as we realize that “our typical ways of being in the world
are challenged, our systems of knowledge disrupted”. Thinking comes along when
there is a rupture which compels us to come up with a different way of seeing
the world.
---Inventive Pedagogy
and Aesthetic Practices: Embodying Learning
In the future, QR Codes can also be the source of much-hyped mobile innovation. Take augmented reality as an example. Augmented reality is a live view of a physical and real world environment which is modified by computer-generated sensory input. It enhances the current perception of reality and combines real and virtual. QR Code serves as anchor of augmented reality that may be an innovative way of marketing. Here are some examples:
Adidas
mix QR Code with augmented reality to transform the shoe into a gun
BMW
use QR Code to support augmented reality to allow potential customers to view
new model of car
QR
Code can used to promote 3D music
References
- BeQRious (2010). QR Code Vs. Conventional Barcode. Retrieved 2012, April 15 from http://beqrious.com/qr-code-vs-conventional-barcode/
- Bergen, J. (2011). Korea’s Tesco reinvents grocery shopping with QR-code “stores”. Retrieved 2012 April 15 from http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/koreas-tesco-reinvents-grocery-shopping-with-qr-code-stores-20110628/
- Boyfle, H. (2011, September 7). The future of QR Codes. Retrieved 2012, April 15 from http://blog.creamglobal.com/right_brain_left_brain/2011/09/the-future-of-qr-codes.html
- Dr QR Code (2012, March 16). Using QR Codes in Commercials. Retrieved 2012 April 14 from http://orangeqr.com/using-qr-codes-in-commercials/
- Dr QR Code (2011, December 14). Clinique’s QR Code Marketing Campaign. Leap Code Technologies Ltd. (2009). Tracking & Logistics, Use QR Codes to Track Goods. Retrieved 2012 April 14from http://leapcode.ca/?p=208
- Jason. (2010). Best Buy deploys QR codes to enhance shopping experience. Retrieved 2012 April 15from http://retailgeek.com/retail/best-buy-deploys-qr-codes-to-enhance-shopping-experience/
- Jeff K. (2011, February 7). How QR Codes Can Grow Your Business. Retrieved 2012, April 16 from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-qr-codes-can-grow-your-business/
- Jennifer, V. G. (2010). New mobile ticketing service issues: QR code tickets via SMS. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2010/09/24/mogotix/
- n.d. (2012, February 20). Survey: New U.S. smartphone growth by age and income. Retrieved April 16, 2012 from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/survey-new-u-s-smartphone-growth-by-age-and-income/
- Noam. (2011, November 16). Gartner’s Q3 2011 Smartphone Report, Android Tops. Retrieved 2012, April 16 from http://technomondo.com/2011/11/16/gartners-q3-2011-smartphone-report-android-tops/
- Orangeqr. (2012, March 7). Qr codes in the future. Retrieved 2012, April 12 from http://orangeqr.com/qr-codes-in-the-future/
- Oreilly, E. (2011, October 12). Infected QR Codes or Mashable Hype?. Retrieved 2012, April 15 from http://2d-code.co.uk/qr-code-virus/
- Steven, M. (2011). China’s QR code bullet train tickets spill your personal information. Retrieved 2012 April 15 from http://www.techinasia.com/qr-train-tickets/
- StrategiesGrowth. (2010). QR Codes: The next step in retailer loyalty programs. Retrieved 2012 April 15 from http://marketingwithnewtechnology.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/qr-codes-the-next-step-in-retailer-loyalty-programs/
- Tan, J. S. (2008). QR Code. Synthesis Journal, 59-78. Retrieved 2012 April 14 from http://orangeqr.com/cliniques-qr-code-marketing-campaign/
- Tanny, J. (2010, September 1). QR Codes: Connecting the online and offline worlds. Retrieved 2012, April 15 from http://sparksheet.com/qr-codes-connecting-the-online-and-offline-worlds/
- QR Codes in Advertising ( 2012, April 13). Photo Collection of QR Codes in Advertising. Retrieved 2012 April 14 from http://qrcodes-in-advertising.blogspot.com/