How to Streamline Logistics / Delivery Operations with QR Codes

Location Management in the Warehouse

A system in which QR codes are attached to warehouse shelves and pallets and scanned to check the storage location / stock quantity / receiving and shipping history on the spot is one of the basic tools of logistics operations. Unlike conventional barcodes, a QR code can store up to about 7,000 numeric digits, so in addition to the product code, information such as the lot number, the date and time of receipt, and the storage temperature range can be consolidated into a single code.

In picking work, there are operations where reading the QR code printed on the work instruction sheet with a handheld terminal shows the shelf number and the shortest route on the display. A report by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on the "2024 logistics problem" states that, with the tightening of overtime regulations for truck drivers, making work inside warehouses more efficient is an urgent task. Location management with QR codes is a means that can aim to reduce picking errors and shorten working time at the same time, and it can be introduced even in small and medium-sized warehouses.

Tracking Last-Mile Delivery

A QR code printed on a delivery slip not only tracks the current location of a package but also serves as proof that delivery was completed. When the delivery person scans it at the destination, GPS coordinates / a timestamp / a delivery photo are recorded automatically, and both the shipper and the recipient can check the status in real time.

With the increase in unattended delivery, disputes over "delivered / not delivered" have become an issue. Proof of delivery linked to QR codes is useful as an objective record when resolving disputes. It can also be used as a means of reducing redeliveries. A major Japanese parcel delivery company has introduced a system in which a QR code is printed on the missed-delivery notice left when no one is home, and the recipient can specify the redelivery date and time just by scanning it. In a sample survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the redelivery rate for home delivery parcels in April 2026 was about 7.6%. Redeliveries consume that much additional driving distance and fuel. Simplifying redelivery procedures with QR codes also leads to a lower environmental impact.

Speeding Up Returns / Recall Processing

Returns processing is one of the areas of logistics that take a lot of work. Scanning the QR code attached to a product automatically displays the purchase date, sales channel, warranty period, and options for the reason for return, which shortens the lead time from accepting the return to processing the refund.

In handling a recall, checking the QR code of the affected lot against a database makes it possible to determine on site immediately whether an item is subject to recall. Previously, the work of checking lot numbers by eye and comparing them against a list was necessary, but with QR codes that effort can be saved. In the food industry, services have also appeared that let consumers check for themselves whether a lot is subject to recall by scanning the QR code on the product package.

Cross-Docking and Sorting at Transfer Hubs

In cross-docking (a method in which incoming packages are not stored but are sorted by destination and shipped out as they are), the speed and accuracy of sorting are a lifeline. If the delivery area / priority / loading order is embedded in each package's QR code, assigning packages to sorting lanes can be automated.

At transfer hubs, an efficient operation is to scan the QR codes of packages unloaded from trucks in bulk and assign them to the next delivery route. There is no need to face each one squarely and scan it one at a time as with barcodes, and because QR codes can be read even at an angle by camera-based scanners, packages flowing along a conveyor can be processed at high speed. Lowering the misdelivery rate and shortening sorting time lead to reducing logistics costs as a whole.

Introduction Costs and Cost-Effectiveness

The cost of generating / printing QR codes is almost zero. They can be output with existing label printers, and no dedicated equipment is needed. For reading terminals, besides business handheld terminals, an off-the-shelf smartphone can substitute simply by installing an app.

As a cost-effectiveness estimate, if the picking error rate in a warehouse with around 20 employees improves from 0.5% to 0.1%, a certain annual effect can be expected from the reduction in return / reshipping costs caused by wrong shipments alone. Because the initial investment is small, it is a measure whose investment is easy to recover.

The key to making logistics more efficient lies not only in introducing technology but also in designing operations on the ground.