Why are QR codes everywhere in China?

Scanning QR codes with mobile phones has become a daily routine in China, while it never took off in the west.

• They are cheaper and easier.
  Costing only a fraction of traditional POS terminals, QR codes were quickly adopted by small merchants throughout China. From street food vendors, wet markets to corner stores, you will find QR codes displayed for quick scanning.
• Connect the real world with the virtual world.
  From retail stores, restaurants to events in China, you will find QR codes to bridge users from offline to online to create interactive and immersive brand experiences.
• Identity, access, and sharing.
  Used as unique identifies for user-profiles and official social media accounts, long-pressed on phones to access embedded links, or used as event tickets and coupons, the QR has multiple social uses cases.
  

UXSPOT is a user research facility in Shanghai. We run usability testing, focus group interviews, user interviews, UX & co-design workshops for the worlds leading companies in our custom built user experience lab in China.