Uniqode, the highest-ranked QR code platform on G2, has officially published the results from its 2025 State of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) Marketing Report.
Going by the available details, this particular report features insights from 1,000 U.S. consumers and over 200 marketing leaders, eventually revealing the gaps between how consumers expect to interact with QR codes and how marketers are leveraging the technology during BFCM.
More on the same would reveal how around 60% of marketers were found to use QR codes in BFCM campaigns last year, but having said so, many failed to deliver on what users expect post-scan.
“Customers are ready and willing to scan QR codes during sales, but many marketers simply place codes on signage without using them to enhance the broader user experience,” said Sharat Potharaju, Co-Founder and CEO of Uniqode. “Brands and retailers can show consumers they’re offering value-based scans by avoiding generic calls to action and matching their QR codes to clearly defined outcomes. This will better engage customers and increase post-scan satisfaction.”
Next up, we must dig into the way nearly two-thirds of consumers are likely to scan a QR code during BFCM. However, despite that being the case, 56% of shoppers still scan with an expectation of promotional offers or discounts that deliver immediate, tangible value.
Another detail worth a mention is rooted in the fact that no more than 37% of marketers believe their 2024 BFCM marketing was very effective, with many marketers missing insights from QR code data. Moving on, 1 in 4 marketers also reported to have failed to act on Black Friday scan data in time to improve Cyber Monday performance.
A contingent of 44% respondents was deemed to be more likely in the context of scanning a QR code during BFCM for the promise of a deal. This comes after it was discovered that, for 56% of shoppers, a promotional offer is the top expectation when scanning.
Joining this would be a piece of detail claiming that scannability (35%) is the biggest QR code issue consumers face in retail settings, followed by slow load times (27%), broken links (26%) and expired offers (22%). In essence, no more than 17% of consumers say they have experienced no issues when scanning QR codes in-store.
Hold on, we still have a few bits left to unpack, considering we haven’t yet touched upon how a large chunk of “neutral middle” (36%) isn’t entirely sold on QR codes, providing an opportunity to show these shoppers better experiences, smoother journeys, and post-scan value.
We also haven’t touched upon how 50% of Millennials and Gen Zers are very likely to scan QR Codes during retail sales, and 46% of Gen X scans are driven by deals. Apart from that, Gen Z (41%) and Millennials (40%) are also driven by discounts and deals, followed by faster checkout.
Rounding up highlights would be over 60% of marketers using QR codes in their 2024 BFCM campaigns. Among non-users, over 40% said they would consider using QR codes this year, depending on cost or effectiveness.
Founded in 2019, Uniqode’s rise up the ranks stems from offering a complete QR Code lifecycle management & analytics solution, which is capable of building direct relationships, growing lifetime revenue, and acquiring first-party data in industries, inclusive of consumer goods, hospitality, retail, and real estate etc.
The company’s excellence in what it does can also be understood once you consider it is trusted by more than 50,000 businesses around the world.
“QR codes are an extremely valuable source of real-time feedback and customer insights, but the performance data is still underutilized,” said Ravi Pratap Maddimsetty, Co-Founder and CTO of Uniqode. “Only a small number of marketers tracked how consumers were actually interacting with codes during BFCM in 2024, and an even smaller percentage used the insights to make adjustments from Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Reviewing and optimizing the performance of dynamic QR codes in real time can help marketers see even more success during sales events.”