Nudge

A nudge (literally, a gentle poke with the elbow) is a concept proposed by the behavioral economists Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, and is a method of guiding people's behavior in a desirable direction without taking away their freedom of choice. Known examples include placing healthy foods at eye level in a cafeteria, making organ donation an opt-out system, and displaying the calories burned beside a staircase.

Applying the principles of nudges to QR code marketing improves the scan rate. The first is the default effect. The QR code is presented with a "you lose out if you do not scan" framing. The reason "You lose 500 yen if you do not scan" prompts action more easily than "Scan for a 500 yen discount" is that it makes use of loss aversion bias.

The second is social proof. When a figure such as "1,000 people scanned this month" is displayed near the QR code, the reassurance that "other people are doing it too" encourages scanning. The third is scarcity. Adding a sense of exclusivity such as "Today only" or "50 spots left" to the CTA strengthens the motivation to scan immediately.

The fourth is the placement nudge. Placing the QR code within the natural flow of the line of sight (at eye level while waiting at the register, in the center of the table) creates a state in which it comes into view without being consciously looked for. Because people tend to react to "what comes into view," the scan rate changes greatly just by optimizing placement.