6 Ways Instagram’s New QR Codes Can Bridge Digital And Physical Retail

Analysts have said each year for the past several that it’s finally time for QR codes to gain momentum in the United States. This year is no exception, and there’s more traction now than ever before. First, as restaurant patrons have begun dining out again, menus often come via an invitation for diners to scan a QR code instead of handling printed material on which COVID-19 might linger. Second, e-commerce shipments or other product packaging may include a QR code to scan for enhanced merchandise information. Third, within retail stores, QR codes are increasingly leveraged for touchless payments. Tonight, Instagram unveiled new ways that Facebook’s 180 million business users can leverage QR codes to connect with customers. While most businesses could fairly easily generate a QR code linking to any digital property, Instagram is hopefully – to both itself and its business customers – shortcutting the process by letting any business download its own QR code that’s already linked to its Instagram profile. By scanning that QR code via the Instagram Stories camera or any other camera on their phones, users will be navigated to a business’s profile on Instagram and be able to see updated store hours, buy goods or services or seek more information. Read more at Forbes.