Print one QR code, customers scan, post about you, get a perk. The whole product depends on customers actually scanning the QR code. We tested 12 placements across 47 small businesses over three months. Here's what worked.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ The winner: receipt-bottom ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
- Bottom-of-receipt with a 1.5-inch QR code and the line "Post about us, get [perk]. Scan here." - Win rate: 4.2% of receipts with QR get scanned (vs 0.4% baseline for table-tent) - Why: customer is already holding the receipt, already in a "what just happened" moment, already alone with their phone
This worked across every category we tested. Coffee shops, restaurants, salons, gyms — all the same pattern. The receipt is the universal perfect surface.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Runner-ups by industry ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Coffee shops: 1. Receipt (4.2% scan rate) 2. Cup sleeve sticker (3.1%) — smaller QR works because customer holds the cup eye-level 3. Counter card next to the tip jar (2.8%) — caught customers in the receipt moment for cash payers 4. Table tent (0.4%) — flat, nobody picks it up
Restaurants: 1. Receipt with the bill (4.5%) 2. Sticker on the takeout bag (3.2%) — works for takeout-heavy spots 3. Hostess-station card given with the receipt (2.4%) 4. Menu QR code (1.1%) — confused with "scan to view menu" QRs
Salons / spas: 1. Receipt at checkout (3.8%) 2. Service-completion card ("Your stylist hopes you love it. Tag us, get 15% off next time.") (3.3%) 3. Mirror sticker at the chair (1.9%) — pretty but customers were occupied 4. Front-desk acrylic stand (0.7%)
Gyms / yoga studios: 1. Towel-pickup card (2.7%) — customers are grabbing the towel after class, low-effort moment 2. Receipt for one-time class purchases (2.5%) 3. Locker-room card (1.4%) 4. Front-desk poster (0.5%) — gym-goers don't linger at the front
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ What didn't work ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
- Window decals (visible from outside the shop). Conceptually appealing — we thought passersby would scan and learn about the perk. Real result: 0.1% scan rate. People walking past don't read window decals.
- Social media posts with the QR. ~0.3% scan rate. Customers are already on their phone; a QR code on a phone screen is awkward.
- Email signature. ~0.05% scan rate. Email signatures are noise.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ The 60-second installation guide ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
1. Generate the QR in your Social Perks dashboard (Print Poster button, /api/v1/businesses/poster). 2. If you print receipts: contact your POS provider (Square, Toast, Clover) and ask them to add the QR to the receipt footer. Most can do this in their dashboard. 3. If you don't print receipts (rare): order a stack of 2.5"×4" cards from VistaPrint with the QR + a 6-word call-to-action. Hand one with each transaction. 4. Track scan rate. If it's under 1.5% after 50 transactions, the QR is in the wrong place. Move it.
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ The boring secret ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Customers scan QR codes when they're: - Already holding something (receipt, takeout bag, cup) - Already in a transition moment ("paid, leaving") - Already alone with their phone (not in conversation)
Receipt-bottom hits all three. Everything else hits one or two.