On this page
Key takeaways
- Put codes where shoppers pause: the window, the counter, shelves, fitting rooms, receipts and the bag.
- Each code should do one job: a review, a WhatsApp order, a follow, a payment or product information.
- Packaging codes last for years, so make them dynamic and point them at a page you control.
- Separate codes per placement show what shoppers actually scan.
QR codes in the store
Shop window
A window code works when you are closed. Link your online shop, a WhatsApp chat for stock questions, or your opening hours and location with a business page.
Counter and till
The moment of payment is when shoppers are happiest to act. A Google review QR code at the till, a loyalty sign-up, or an Instagram or TikTok follow with a small reward all work well here. In India, a UPI QR code takes payments.
Shelves and product tags
Shelf codes answer the questions staff don’t have time for: sizes, materials, reviews, compatible accessories and how-to videos. They also let shoppers check stock in other colours or order online if their size is gone.
Receipts and bags
A code on the receipt or bag reaches every customer at home: reviews, reorders, returns information or your newsletter.
One page for everything
QR codes on product packaging
Packaging has little space but a long life, and the customer holding it is already interested. Good uses for a packaging code:
- Setup, care and recipe videos with a video QR code.
- Manuals and spec sheets with a PDF QR code, instead of a thick printed booklet.
- Ingredients, allergens and sourcing in more detail than the label allows.
- Reorders, refills and warranty registration, sending customers to you rather than a marketplace.
Packaging is printed in large runs and stays in homes for years. Use a dynamic code so you can change the page, fix a broken link or launch a new campaign without reprinting, and print each product’s code with the bulk QR code generator if you have many SKUs.
What to link, and where
| Placement | Best job for the code | Generator |
|---|---|---|
| Shop window | Online shop, WhatsApp, opening hours | Website, WhatsApp, Google Maps |
| Counter | Reviews, payments, loyalty, follows | Google review, UPI, Instagram |
| Shelf or tag | Product details, videos, sizes | Website, video |
| Fitting room | Other sizes and colours, styling ideas | Website, image |
| Receipt or bag | Reviews, reorders, returns | Google review, website |
| Packaging | Setup, manuals, reorders | Video, PDF, website |
Measuring what works
Give each placement its own dynamic code, then compare scans after a few weeks. You’ll see whether the window or the counter gets more attention, which products people want to know more about, and when shoppers scan, so you can move codes and offers to where they work.
Mistakes to avoid
- No reason to scan. “Scan for 10% off your next visit” works; a bare code next to a logo doesn’t.
- Too small or too shiny. Shelf codes need at least 2–3 cm; avoid glossy laminate under shop lights.
- Desktop pages. Every scanner is on a phone. Check the page on one.
- Static codes on long-life packaging, pointing at a page that won’t exist in two years.
Check payment codes
A one-afternoon setup plan
- 1Pick three jobs: for example reviews at the till, WhatsApp in the window, product videos on the shelf.
- 2Create a dynamic code for each placement, with a short call to action.
- 3Print, place and scan each one from where a shopper would stand.
- 4After a month, compare scans and move the weakest code somewhere better.
Start with a free QR-10 account, or make a free static code with the QR code generator.