Low cost both positive and negative for QR codes

QR codes, a type of 2D barcode, have seen widespread use due in part to the low cost of producing them, but this carries with it a significant risk: companies can use them as a cheap means of URL replacement and pass it off as mobile marketing, to the detriment of the user experience. "People become engaged once they've scanned [the QR code] if the incentive is high enough...Not if it's a low-value URL replacement," said Mike Wehrs, CEO of mobile barcode specialist Scanbuy. He explained to Total Telecom late last week that it is vital that QR codes link to content that is relevant and optimised for mobile to avoid the pitfall of a bad user experience.