Mobile Commerce - 17% of students have scanned QR codes with their smartphones - Internet Retailer

Of students who have scanned QR codes, 52% found the QR code in a magazine, 44% on a poster or outdoor display, 39% on an in-store display, 28% in a newspaper, 26% at an event, and 26% on a product tag. Respondents could choose more than one answer.

“We think of teens and college students as being so tech-savvy that they can figure out anything, but QR codes have them somewhat baffled,” says Melanie Shreffler, editor in chief of Ypulse. “Considering that QR codes direct users to online information, brands and retailers should also provide consumers with simple URLs, which don’t require a learning curve, to make sure everyone can access the information they want to share.”The Ypulse findings that only 17% of students have used QR codes, however, are in contrast to other recent 2-D bar code studies. (QR is the most popular 2-D bar code format, but there are others, notably Microsoft Corp.’s Tag.)

The difference may be in the devices in hand. Research firms have found that younger consumers are more likely to have a feature phone—the less-powerful predecessor to the smartphone—than a smartphone, later graduating to a smartphone. Feature phones are less likely to run apps or facilitate code scanning. So many in the 64% in the Ypulse study who don’t know what a QR code is may be unaware because QR codes are not relevant to their devices.

Mobile Commerce - 17% of students have scanned QR codes with their smartphones - Internet Retailer