Blue Bite 2022 Connected Products U.S. Consumer Trend Report Reveals 57 Percent of Consumers More Likely to Buy from QR and NFC Connected Packaging

Blue Bite™, the world’s leading connected products platform, has released results of the Blue Bite 2022 Connected Products U.S. Consumer Trend Report: QR Code and NFC Consumer Usage and Attitudes survey that reveals the accelerated acceptance and usage of QR codes and NFC in the marketplace and the desire for relevant and enhanced consumer experiences.

The findings reflect consumers’ changing attitudes, habits and brand interaction preferences, and provide actionable insights that can help brands make informed decisions. It was developed with response data generated from a self-administered online consumer survey of individuals, conducted by a global leader in market research and further substantiated by millions of consumer interactions through the Blue Bite platform.

• Notably, 57 percent of respondents indicated they would be more likely to buy a product if they learned more by connecting with the packaging.

Growth in connected technology usage has accelerated, rising by more than 1,000 percent between 2018 and 2021, according to Blue Bite industry data.

“When consumers scan a connecting QR or NFC technology on the product with their phone, the item is instantly transformed into a mobile point of sale," says Mikhail Damiani, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Blue Bite. “More than 95 percent of adults in the U.S. ages 18 – 49 now own a smart phone. Keeping in touch with how consumers interact and want to engage with brands is crucial in developing a platform that will help brands deliver relevant and valuable consumer experiences through their connected products.”

Respondents show high interest in learning more about brands through connected technology across multiple categories and price points:

• 72 percent showed interest in learning about consumer packaged goods 63 percent showed interest in over-the-counter and prescription drugs
• 62 percent showed interest in luxury goods
• 60 percent showed interest in lifestyle apparel and footwear
• 53 percent showed interest in wines or spirits

“Consumers are telling us that being redirected to a cookie-cutter landing page when you scan a QR code is no longer enough,” says Damiani. “They seek a true gateway into the world of these products. Brands must ask, what value are we bringing to the person who is holding the item through this interaction? How can we improve their life?”

In addition to learning more about the brand, survey participants expressed interest in using QR or NFC to check product authenticity, learn more about where a product came from, get details of its sustainability story, and find out how to purchase similar products.

Other actionable takeaways include:

• Awareness of connected products is high and growing: 92 percent are aware of QR technology, and 66 percent are aware of NFC technology.
• In every category, awareness, ownership and usage are driven by respondents under 35.
• More than half of consumers like knowing what promotions are available.
• Brands must focus on relevant information and regulate contact frequency. The key complaints are being contacted about things consumers don’t care about (38 percent) and getting contacted too often (35 percent).

“It’s important that we meet consumers where they are,” says Damiani. “Connected products change how consumers interact with physical things. We are creating digital touchpoints for meaningful information and experiences. Previously, everyone got the same message. Now, Blue Bite provides relevant experiences specific to the product and the person, delivering customized content based on location, time of day, and user behavior with relevant messaging before, during and after the sale.”

For details, see complete survey results.

About Blue Bite

The world’s leading connected products platform, Blue Bite empowers brands to open a new two-way, interactive digital communication channel with consumers through the simple scan of a QR code or NFC tag. The patented Blue Bite Experience Suite™ allows brands to create and deliver personalized mobile experiences at scale using an intuitive, brand-managed software platform. Blue Bite’s dynamic and contextual ability to update content in real time throughout the product lifecycle delivers an unprecedented experience that builds consumer engagement and loyalty, uncovers actionable insights, accelerates sales, reduces churn, and provides product authentication and traceability. Founded in 2007, Blue Bite is a leading brand of Markem-Imaje®, a global product identification and traceability solutions leader.

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