When so many QR codes point to bits of the 'outernet' that could just as easily be URLs, there's a great risk that consumers will soon get bored of QR codes. These 2D barcode glyphs are encoded with identifying information for individual bikes: every owner's bike has its own microsite, accessed by the QR code. One bike shop - which shall remain nameless - has a big QR code square on its front door: it just sends scanners to the shop's simple-to-memorise website. Why open up a QR scanning app on a smartphone, fiddle for focus, take a pic, wait for an info pop-up and then navigate to the prompt when reading a website address would be easier, quicker and memorable away from the QR code. Some bike companies are using QR codes in a clever way. Tern Bicycles, for instance, now places QR codes on bikes. But as Tern, Fox and other companies demonstrate, it's possible to be creative with QR codes, using the machine-readable square as a genuine tool for engaging with an audience.
Read Article