Retailers using quick response codes on flyers, posters and in-store shelves may see an increase in consumer activity. A new report from ScanBuy suggests the number of people scanning these codes has shot up dramatically over the past year and will continue to do so through 2012.

ScanBuy registered more than 31 million scans worldwide in 2011, marking a significant 297 percent increase over the 7.8 million scans registered in 2010. More than one-third of these engagements – 11 million – came in the fourth quarter of 2011, which means consumers were scanning these codes more actively as the year drew to a close.

"Thousands of marketers are using [the] platform to create, manage and track their QR code activity," Mike Wehrs, president and CEO of Scanbuy, told Internet Retailer. "They range from local businesses up to Fortune 500 brands like Coca Cola, Home Depot and Starbucks."

This shouldn't surprise any retail merchants – the number of smartphone owners in the United States jumped from approximately 60 million at the beginning of 2011 to 91 million by the close of the year, meaning the potential audience grew significantly.

This entry was posted by Retail Pro on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 2:46 am .