Short answer, no.

I assume you know what QR codes are, if not go read and learn.

I used them once, in Pizza Express, one was on the back of a menu and it gave me a business idea for a crowd sourced event. I scanned the scatty image and it sent me a recipe of classic pizza. Which is cool. Although I never looked at the recipes or use the QR codes since, even though I see them pop up like a rash on the hot, sweaty back of a Ginger in Ibiza.

What I do use the scanner for though is – and I hope no one from Waterstones is reading this – is checking out the books in Waterstones, scanning them with Red Laser and checking out the prices online. Mostly I download books by Kindle and If I could do it through the wifi at Waterstones (they don’t have wifi and neither does the Costa within the Waterstones) I would be willing to pay a few quid to have it there and then.

I like to have things as soon as I want them, strange how consumers are these days.

How much profit does Waterstones make on a £10 book, couple quid I assume. But if instead of selling the book it merely acted as a showroom for books then….

That is not the only use of Red Laser, it is also useful as a note taker of things you like to buy. It’s quite interesting to mooch around Tesco and Sainsbury’s scanning stuff. Well I find it interesting, but then I’m an uber geek.

So, should small business get excited about QR codes? Not yet. Soon though, as more and more, business will be conducted in this manner and although it’s fun, the masses have not yet adopted it. Much better to let first movers iron out the kinks and allow you to analyze what works and what does not.

Although, I quite like my idea using QR codes. I think I shall save it for Dragons Den.