14 million Americans scanned bar codes on mobile phones in June 2011

 

In June 2011, 14 million mobile users in the U.S.,
representing 6.2 percent of the total mobile audience, scanned a QR or bar code
on their mobile device, according to comScore.

 

A mobile user that scanned a QR or bar code during the
month was more likely to be male (60.5 percent of code scanning audience), skew
toward ages 18-34 (53.4 percent) and have a household income of $100k or above
(36.1 percent).

 

The study also analyzed the source and location of QR or
bar code scanning, finding that users are most likely to scan codes found in
newspapers/magazines and on product packaging and do so while at home or in a
store.

 

“QR codes demonstrate just one of the ways in which
mobile marketing can effectively be integrated into existing media and
marketing campaigns to help reach desired consumer segments,” said Mark
Donovan, senior vice president of mobile, comScore

 

For marketers, understanding which consumer segments scan
QR codes, the source and location of these scans, and the resulting information
delivered, is crucial in developing and deploying campaigns that successfully
utilize QR codes to further brand engagement.

 

A demographic analysis of those who scanned a QR or bar
code with their mobile phone in June revealed an audience that was more likely
to be male, young to middle-age and upper income. Men were 25 percent more
likely (index of 125) than the average mobile user to scan QR codes,
representing 60.5 percent of the scanning audience.

 

More than half of all QR code scanners were between the
ages of 18-34 (53.4 percent). Those between the age of 25-34, who accounted for
36.8 percent of QR code scanners, were twice as likely as the average mobile
user to engage in this behavior, while 18-24 year olds were 36 percent more
likely than average (index of 136) to scan.

 

More than 1 of every 3 QR code scanners (36.1 percent)
had a household income of at least $100,000, representing both the largest and
most over-represented income segment among the scanning audience.

 

Analysis of the source and location of QR or bar code
scanning revealed further insights into how consumers are interacting with this
marketing tool.

 

The most popular source of a scanned QR code was a
printed magazine or newspaper, with nearly half scanning QR codes from this
source.

 

Product packaging was the source of QR code scanning for
35.3 percent of the audience, while 27.4 percent scanned a code from a website
on a PC and 23.5 percent scanned codes from a poster/flyer/kiosk.

 

Among mobile users who scanned a QR or bar code on their
mobile devices in June, 58.0 percent did so from their home, while 39.4 percent
did so from a retail store and 24.5 percent did so from a grocery store.

 

Nearly 20 percent scanned a QR code while at work, while
12.6 percent did so outside or on public transit and 7.6 percent did so while
in a restaurant.

 

By Telecomlead.com Team
[email protected]