QR Code Scanners Skew Male, Young, Wealthy

August 15, 2011

comscore-qr-code-use-demographics-aug11.gifIn June 2011, 14 million mobile users in the US, representing 6.2% of the total mobile audience, scanned a QR (quick response) code on their mobile device, according to an August 2011 study released by comScore MobiLens. The study found that a mobile user that scanned a QR code during the month was more likely to be male (60.5% of code scanning audience), skew toward ages 18-34 (53.4%) and have a household income of $100,000 or above (36.1%).

In addition, 18-to-24-year-olds were 36% more likely than average to scan a QR code with a mobile device, and those with a household income of $75,000 but less than $100,000 were 18.6% more likely than average to scan QR codes.

“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,” said Mark Donovan, comScore SVP of mobile.

Marketers interested in learning more about how QR codes have developed and can be used should check out ‘A Marketer’s Guide to QR Technology’ in MarketingCharts’ sister publication MarketingVox.

Magazines, Newspapers Top QR Code Sources

comscore-qr-source-aug-2011.JPGThe most popular source of a scanned QR code was a printed magazine or newspaper, with nearly half (49.4%) scanning QR codes from this source. Product packaging was the source of QR code scanning for 35.3% of the audience, while 27.4% scanned a code from a website on a PC and 23.5% scanned codes from a poster/flyer/kiosk.

Less popular printed sources included business card/brochure (13.4%), while 12.8% of QR code users scanning codes from a storefront. The least popular source tracked by comScore was TV, scanned by 11.7% of the QR code audience.

Home Most Popular QR Code Location

Among mobile users who scanned a QR code on their mobile devices in June, 58% did so from their home, while 39.4% did so from a retail store and 24.5% did so from a grocery store.

In addition, nearly 20% scanned a QR code while at work, while 12.6% did so outside or on public transit and 7.6% did so while in a restaurant.

ExactTarget: 1 in 4 Smartphone Owners Scan QR Codes

About one in four (24%) US smartphone owners (10% of the overall online population) report having scanned a QR code or similar barcode to obtain more information about a product, business, or event, according to a June 2011 report from ExactTarget.

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