A shopper spots the perfect holiday gift in a store window, but the shop is closed. A QR code on the glass could let them buy it anyway. For retailers, the appeal is obvious, though early testing suggests scans don't necessarily translate into sales.
A November 5 report from the National Retail Federation found that one in five holiday shoppers plans to buy from small or local businesses this year. With Thanksgiving weekend approaching, retailers are using digital marketing and other outreach to attract customers.
An earlier retailer experiment and newer research suggest businesses should test window QR codes before relying on them to generate sales.
How window QR codes work
A shopper scans a code beside a displayed product and lands on its product page or checkout. Instead of returning during business hours, they can browse or potentially complete a purchase immediately.
Retailers can also link codes to demonstrations, size guides, reviews, or appointment bookings, as outlined in Supercode's storefront guide. The approach can complement other retail store design ideas that connect physical displays with online shopping.
A 2026 study of QR codes in a Finnish fashion store identified ways the technology shaped customers' experiences, from providing information and sparking curiosity to causing annoyance or exclusion. The research examined in-store experiences, not holiday-window sales.
What one retailer's test found
In a September 2023 account, retail coach Kathy Cruz described testing QR codes on two storefront windows. Each code directed shoppers to a separate Shopify collection featuring the products displayed in that window.
One window attracted more scans than the other, but neither code had generated a confirmed online sale when the results were shared.
A customer also purchased a baby wardrobe featured in one display. However, the retailer hadn't asked whether the buyer scanned the code, leaving its influence on the sale unknown.
The experiment showed shopper interest, but no confirmed online purchases attributable to the codes.
What retailers should decide first
Before launching a window QR-code campaign, retailers should settle four questions:
- Choose one goal. Decide whether shoppers should buy, reserve merchandise, book appointments, or subscribe. Other QR code marketing ideas may suit different objectives.
- Match the landing page to the display. A dedicated product collection or one of the store's holiday gift guides can help customers find featured merchandise.
- Check after-hours operations. Make sure checkout, inventory, pickup options, and booking systems work when the store is closed.
- Choose a code type. Static codes retain a fixed destination; dynamic codes use an updatable redirect, potentially with provider fees.
Retailers should confirm dynamic-code pricing and what happens to their links if service ends.
Test the full shopping experience
Before launching, retailers should scan the code from the sidewalk using a smartphone and check:
- Whether signage explains what scanning provides.
- Whether the code scans reliably through glass.
- Whether mobile checkout or booking works after hours.
- Whether displayed products are in stock.
- Whether pickup and holiday delivery dates are accurate.
The FTC warned in September about fraudulent QR codes covering legitimate parking-meter codes. Retailers should similarly inspect public-facing codes for tampering, although the warning didn't document storefront incidents.
How to measure whether it works
Available evidence doesn't establish a reliable conversion rate for holiday-window QR codes. Retailers can assess their own results by assigning unique codes to individual displays and tracking scans, page visits, purchases, reservations, and email signups separately.
Compare completed purchases or reservations against scans to determine which displays generate meaningful results.
Should retailers try window QR codes?
A QR code can make a closed storefront shoppable, but retailers still need evidence that customers will use it to purchase. A small holiday test, tracking completed sales alongside scans, can reveal whether the tactic deserves a place in next year's display.