Package Design - January/February 2013 - 6

FRONT PANEL

‘Bricks and Clicks’
Study examines how shoppers use QR codes in retail settings.

onsumers are combining the digital and nondigital worlds to make shopping decisions, which
is creating what Perception Research Services (PRS)
is calling the “New Realities of Retailing.”
The research firm found that ownership of smart
phones now outpaces that of traditional mobile
phones. More than half (54%) of the shoppers surveyed own a smart phone (versus 45% for traditional)
and a majority (76%) use them while shopping.

While smart phones are used by some to make purchases, they’re mostly used to gather information.
Roughly half of those who do use their smart phones
while shopping use them to check prices, find promotions, read product reviews or get product information.
One of the most common categories to shop with
smart phones is Consumer Packaged Goods (57%).
The other categories are Electronics (64%) and
Clothing/Apparel (54%).
It appears that the use of Quick Response (QR)
codes may be playing a role in shopping with smart
phones—especially for gathering product information,

january/february 2013

comparing prices and seeking promotions. Although
not broadly known by name (only 57% of shoppers
surveyed were aware of the term QR code), most
(94%) recognize them when seeing one and nearly half
(44%) of those who use smart phones while shopping
have used QR codes. This number will only go up as
QR codes become more widespread and their functionality becomes more meaningful.
The PRS study also examined “showrooming” —
the phenomenon of examining a product in a store but
purchasing it online. Showrooming has gotten a lot of
attention as many big box retailers voice concerns that
their stores are being used as a convenient display area
for the products of online sellers.
The data shows that bricks-and-clicks approach is
used for almost half (45%) of online purchases. But
this practice of purchasing online after viewing the
product in a store is very much dependent on the type
of product. Not surprisingly, “showrooming” occurs
mostly for big ticket items that are purchased infrequently such as electronics, appliances and baby products. The amount of money that can be saved makes
spending the extra time and effort worthwhile, but
shoppers also want to be sure that the products meet
their requirements.
For packaged goods companies, the use of smartphones in the aisle can present a more vigorous and
deep selling opportunity. Instead of competing on the
feature/benefit/cost comparison within a retailer’s
shelf set, a QR code can enable a brand to more fully
engage shoppers by creating communities via the various communication channels that are now part of the
shoppers’ daily lives, or simply present a different
retailer options that better fit into the shopper’s lifestyle or budget.
This research was conducted in 2012 among 1,450
consumers drawn from a nationally representative
online sample of adults aged 18 or older who are
responsible for at least half of household grocery shopping. For more information about the study, visit www.
prsresearch.com

Package Design - January/February 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Package Design - January/February 2013