Not All QR Codes Are Created Equal: Innovative Uses for QR in the Fashion Industry

Linking your QR Code to a static webpage is yesterday's marketing. And it's not effective.

While once used simply to link consumers to boring, static landing pages, QR code uses have greatly evolved. This change was fast-tracked with the growing demand for a contactless economy in recent years.

The options for brands to connect with consumers are near-limitless with QR codes — especially when linked with a connected products platform like those powered by Blue Bite. And as consumers increasingly demand more sustainability and transparency from fashion brands in particular, QR codes help brands stay accountable, share valuable key performance indicators (KPIs) and show consumers how everyone plays a role in the circular economy.

Gone are the days of brands being limited by the confines of physical space on packaging, products and other marketing materials. And gone are the days of dull connectivity that linked to a static page.

The days of personalized, digital connectivity and engaging experiences for the fashion industry through connected garments are here.

Benefits of QR Codes

There are many benefits of using QR codes in the Fashion industry.

• Easy connectivity: An overwhelming majority of consumers own a smartphone. QR codes make it easy for brands and consumers to connect with a simple scan using the phone they carry in their hand.
• Go beyond the limitations of physical space: Whether it’s in marketing materials or on a clothing tag, QR codes empower brands to go above and beyond the confines of physical space to share information and engage with consumers.
• Dynamic, digital experiences that excite customers: Using a connected products platform, brands can engage consumers with value-added and exclusive content, make each product a point of sale and more.
• Sustainability Initiatives and Transparency: With consumers increasingly demanding sustainability and transparency from fashion brands, QR codes empower brands to share supply chain information, how they’re working to reduce environmental impacts and how consumers can keep garments in the circular economy and out of landfills.

Innovative QR Code Uses in the Fashion Industry

Here’s a look at a few of the many ways fashion brands are empowered to connect with consumers using QR codes.

Each scan becomes a point of sale: Whether it’s a scan from a QR code on a marketing billboard or on a garment a consumer already owns, each scan becomes a point of sale personalized through data like the consumer’s previous actions, first- and zero-party data they’ve provided, and more.

Digitalized versions of garments: In an increasingly digital world, QR codes immerse consumers with digital versions of garments that were never-before available.

Sustainability, tracing, and transparency: As consumers increasingly want brands to be more transparent about production practices, brands need to meet the transparency demands. With a simple scan of a QR code, consumers can see item-level tracking, tracing and production information.

Consumers can see information like how many owners a garment has had (secondhand markets), where and when an item was produced, product composition and carbon impact of each garment.

Exclusive, value-added content and incentivization: Brands are empowered to incentivize consumers after a scan through actions like entering their email to receive a coupon and offering consumers the chance to access exclusive and value-added content.

Fashion companies are also empowered to give consumers access to social media feeds, calendars, giveaways, limited product releases, early access to new garments or lines and more. This is great for events like fashion week shows and release parties.

Authenticity guarantees: Particularly in luxury and secondhand markets, consumers want peace of mind that their garment is real and not a counterfeit. With QR codes, a consumer can see with a simple scan that their garment has been verified as the real deal.

And that’s just the beginning. With QR codes, fashion brands have near-limitless opportunities to connect with consumers using dynamic, digital experiences.

Whether it’s giving consumers exclusive access to a product release calendar at an event or giving them peace of mind that their product is authentic, brands can set themselves aside from the competition and create a lasting relationship with consumers.

[Free Download] Get the "How Connected Products and Digital ID's Are Building the Future of Fashion" Guide to Learn Even More About How to Better Connect with Consumers