You must be familiar with the black and white stripes on products. Some of these are barcodes, which need to be scanned with a machine. These are the kinds that you would find in a supermarket that is scanned with a red light. On the other hand, there are QR codes that are used for a variety of purposes, such as advertising, QR payments, ticket booking, and so on.
Businesses can use both barcodes and QR codes. Manufacturing businesses are where QR codes originated. Both of them can be used to tag an item. In addition, codes allow for products to be tracked by customers, maintain inventory, find bottlenecks, and so on. This helps in improving efficiency and speeding things up. However, both of these are different, and it may be ideal to choose the system that offers the most benefits.
Basic differences
Both types of codes differ in terms of their physical dimensions. A barcode is one-dimensional and is scanned in a line. This means that only the data that can be placed in one stretch of stripes is accessible.
QR codes, or ‘quick response codes, are two-dimensional. This means that they can be read vertically and horizontally. This addition of another dimension means more space for information to be written and scanned. Much more can be stored in a single QR code than a barcode. The best upi app with cashback offers more than simple UPI QR code scanners.
Whereas a normal barcode might provide the expected location and number of an item, a QR code could do much more. It could describe details like the condition of the product, date of production, repairs, etc. A much more comprehensive and specific form of information storage can be made possible with QR codes.
How have QR codes improved?
Earlier, it used to be challenging to scan QR codes, which used to limit their use. The scanners required for them were more expensive than those of barcodes. This is because they needed to scan two dimensions instead of one. A revolutionary change occurred with the regularisation of smartphone use. The development of mobile WMS allowed ubiquitous smartphones to do the scanning. This eliminated the issue of infrastructure and access single-handedly. A tablet or smartphone is all it takes to make the best use of this technology.
Benefits for brands
QR codes have progressed beyond just UPI QR code scanners. They can be beneficial as marketing tools. From business cards to complex booking systems, they can encode quite a lot of information. They are versatile and can also assist in WiFi authentication, ordering, event registrations, donations, and so on.
The goal of brands is to reach out to as many people as possible. Unlike barcodes, they are not only versatile in the number of purposes they serve but also accessible. Most users can access features like UPI payment because all they require is a smartphone.
Additional features
But perhaps the most intriguing thing about QR codes is their novelty. A type of QR code, called dynamic QR codes, has no space restrictions. This means that you can do anything that you like, from creating a menu for your brand to advertising. The engaging nature of QR codes allows you to interact with customers in a way that is memorable to them. Not only does this translate to more content, but also better, more marketable content. It also offers interactive tools like surveys, reviews, social media accounts, and much more. This could help build a conversation around your brand and identity.
To conclude, QR codes provide more avenues for marketing. They are easier to use, more interesting, and more versatile than barcodes.