How Popular QR Codes Are in the USA?

With the advent of smartphone devices, the popularity of QR codes in the United States has surged.

More commonly, these codes are used to give restaurants tips, receive payments, and give cash gifts at weddings; even beggars are using them to collect cash on the streets.  

This little 2D barcode has thrived in the USA and other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, China, and other European parts.

The QR code technology made a grand shift towards a modern and cashless operating society.  

According to a survey conducted, almost half of the total mobile phone users use smartphones while shopping in departmental stores – among which 40% used to determine the competition’s rates.

QR codes in the United States

The United States of America is still considered the biggest industrial market all around the world. 

The same is the case with QR codes.

But the question is, how is this being utilized, and do people scan QR codes?

Here are the stats of which QR code marketing technique served the best for business.

• 30% QR codes were scanned on mail and emails
• 27% on various magazines
• 21% on street posters
• 21% on retail packaging
• 13% on apps and websites
• 7% on visual screens

Promoting apps using QR codes

Even though QR codes have been in the market for many years, some business marketers and owners still use them as part of their marketing strategy.

For example, some app development companies published their App store QR codes in magazines, posters, emails, etc., redirecting the scanner to the download link.

This serves as an effective showcase for both self-explanatory and ad creativity promotion of the applications.

Individual’s social media awareness

A recent study concluded that almost 86% of adults in America use social media platforms daily.

Besides, it is the fastest yet effective way of communicating; visual QR codes have made it a lot easier.

Major social media platforms like Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest, etc., use built-in QR codes that let users add friends by scanning their unique QR codes. 

Furthermore, some also provide the accessibility to scan ordinary QR codes as well.

Education and ID cards

Several universities in the USA have already started to integrate QR codes on students’ id, which contains all the necessary information i.e., semester, name, roll no. Etc. Moreover, they have also been utilized in modern teaching methods. 

Make one using a free QR code generator like QRTIGER. Its user-friendly interface lets you create your visual QR code in just a few clicks.

Event invitations

The QR code US is a part of invitation cards for birthday parties, business meetings, wedding initiation, and other events to let readers keep track of time, date, and special instructions regarding the event smoothly. 

They are also used to make payments for specific events using the same code that connects with PayPal at the back end.

Incorporate a custom event QR code on your event invitation using QRTIGER’s advanced customization tools.

Retail

Retail covers over two-thirds of the US GDP. Retailers have always tried their best to keep one step ahead of their competition.

In any way, QR codes USA campaigns have helped the retail industry keep customers engaged while keeping things fun.

As described above, around half of the total mobile phone users use mobile while shopping – among which 40% do it to compare prices.

QR codes in retail stores allow customers to compare prices of different products easily. It’s the bridge between online and offline.

QR code usage statistics in 2021

QR codes differ in usage statistics per country. The QR code in the USA has received quite positive feedback from its users. 

According to a survey by Statista, a total of 11 million households will scan a QR code by the end of 2021. Compare this to 9.76 million in 2019, and you can actually see the growth in millions every year.

Meanwhile, in China, QR codes are used for payment transactions. In fact, $1.65 trillion worth of transactions were done all through QR code payments in 2017 alone.

That value has significantly expanded in succeeding years, especially since, according to a 2019 survey, 50% of QR code scanners manage to scan QR codes several times a week regularly. 

In fact, China has become one of the fastest-growing countries for mobile payments using QR codes. 

What is the future of QR codes?

With confidence, QR code statistics are not just guesses but are foreseeable to grow in the near future due to two main factors: increased access to smartphone devices and high-speed internet. These will ultimately contribute to further usage of QR codes in the modern market. 

According to a recent study by Juniper Research, 90% of the world’s population will have access to high-speed internet in 2020 and beyond. That, paired with more people accessing mobile devices, expands QR code acceptance statistics.

Future of QR codes in the USA

When it comes to using modern technology and utilities, the USA has always been on top. According to the justifications described above, QR codes are getting an enormous push by the retail industry, social media platforms, education, initiations, and brand awareness. 

QRTIGER is one of the best free visual QR code generators providing its customers with an effective yet engaging marketing strategy – you can even track who scans your code.

Create your custom QR code today!

Frequently asked questions

Are QR codes still relevant in 2023? 

Yes! QR codes are still relevant in 2023, and they are making a big comeback during COVID-19! QR codes have been around for several years.

This 2D barcode type was invented in Japan in 1994 to track vehicles in the automotive industry during the manufacturing process, not as a useful marketing tool we see today.

But it didn’t take long for the realization of QR codes, especially when the pandemic struck us.

This digital tech tool has opened opportunities for marketers and business owners to use QR codes as a preventive tool during and even in the post-COVID-19 crisis when the world has slowly resumed under the ‘new normal’ society. 

QR codes are deployed in different service facets when anything can be done in automation, such as digital menu and payment, contactless donations, and registrations. 

Are QR codes dead in 2021?

Definitely not.

Despite the criticism QR codes are receiving, this digital tool is far from being dead. They are making a huge comeback during this pandemic. 

It has been used in different parts of countries such as South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Ghana, Brazil, Russia, and most QR codes were utilized to combat the spread of COVID-19 by making contactless registration, payments, and tracking using QR codes.

Furthermore, this smart-tech tool has also been used to provide and deliver accurate information to the end-user. 

Why QR codes don’t work? 

There are a variety of reasons why QR codes don’t work or scanned, and these reasons are as follows: 

• The QR code is not the appropriate size
• Wrong positioning of the QR code 
• The expired
• Leads to a broken link 
• Is over-customized
• The QR code colors are inverted
• It doesn’t have enough contrast 
• The QR code is blurry
• Pixelated QR code

Are there any brands using QR codes? 

The QR code technology has also become one of the most favorite marketing tools in the fashion and apparel industry.

Prominent brands include Levi’s, Victoria’s Secret, L’Oreal, Nike, Diesel, Ralph Lauren, Zara, and many more. 

If you have more questions about QR codes, you can contact us now on our website.