Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
It’s no secret that the past year and a half has been a lot for everyone to handle. Increasingly so, retail shops have taken a pretty hard hit, for sales numbers took a dip after mandatory shutdowns and curfew were put into place around the world, minimizing the amount of contact taking place at physical Brick and Mortar locations. As shops and stores are beginning to open back up with the mandates being lifted, many retailers are still interested in practicing safety measures to look out for the best interest of their employees and customers alike. That’s where the creativity of QR codes comes into play. QR Codes have immensely helped out during the days of COVID-19 and restrictive lockdown mandates, but it’s evident that this innovative outlet is here to stay for some time.
Post-COVID Times
Nearly everyone has a mobile device nowadays, and with that notion, we’ve all become pretty advanced in the devices’ usages. Retailers have taken leaps towards accepting mobile device payments to promote contactless technologies pre-COVID and during the pandemic itself. The COVID-19 period has definitely accelerated the usage of contactless payment outlet and with that acceleration, marketers and retailers have adopted Quick Response (QR) Codes to help enhance that experience. QR codes can be quickly scanned and read with a user’s smartphone camera – no separate app is required to complete this type of purchase – for the opportunity is open to all intelligent mobile device users.
To add to the user experience, retailers can add to the presented QR code by offering promotions and opportunities to sign up for their loyalty program, collecting all of the important information that would have normally held up the line for some time. 
QR codes are the one way to bridge the divide between physical exploration throughout a store and maintaining access to digital content. Printing out tangible labels can be quite a costly venture, so many retailers are introducing interactive shelving units with digital QR codes that feature regularly updated pricing and promotional offerings.
Contactless technology, payments, and experiences have become the standard expectation on the consumer side of the equation and if retailers aren’t quick to adopt these ideologies, they could be left in the dust. The future of retail and how customers perceive their favorite brands and shops is essential when it comes to understanding just important of a role advanced technology can hold. The push towards contactless and remote payment options presents an opportunity for businesses to better streamline their operations in ways that can save time and reduce overall costs for everyone involved – all while staying distanced and safe in the time of global pandemic.
Let’s Get TEConnected
In October of last year, the TEConnect Podcast crew joined forces with PAX Technology and EVO Payments to dive deeper into just how the world of contactless payments has impacted the retail environment, pre- and post-COVID-19. Episode #26 is full innovative discussions that aren’t worth missing out on, so be sure to head over to Spotify or Apple Podcasts to listen to this content for yourself. 
Another shameless plug goes out our TEConnect Webinar Series which we conduct a few months out of every year, especially recently with the lockdowns and quarantines, to keep the Channel engaged in industry-popping topics and trends. If you didn’t know, there’s a chance for you to listen here, to the “Future Trends of POS” webinar that we John Martin and Dean Reverman hosted on Tuesday, May 12th. It was a panel of subject matter experts like never before seen, and the collaboration was exhilarating. Follow this link if you’d like to join on the conversation.
