Sweet Pull! 5 Ways QR Codes Can Be Used with Blind Boxes 1

Blind box products have been around for decades, but they’ve recently been surging in popularity, especially with the teen and young adult crowd. Essentially, a blind box product is a collectible or accessory sold in an enclosed package so you don’t know exactly what’s inside. 

When you buy a blind box product, you often have a vague sense of what could be inside, like a small toy based on a video game character or an enamel pin with a fun design, but the specific item in the line remains a mystery until you open the box. 

The fun comes in that mystery and the surprise with what item you end up getting. Collectability is a major factor as well, as die hard fans of a specific product or line will often buy multiples in order to complete a set or get the exact item they want. 

If you get doubles of an item, you can trade with others to get something you want. And there are also super rare items that make for more anticipation and excitement in the unboxing process. 

Some of the most common blind box products include pins, lanyards, figurines, apparel, and small plush toys. One of the most popular examples is the Labubu line of pendant plushies, which have become a global phenomenon. 

This practice is similar to gachapon machines, which I covered in a piece recently.

As stated above, collectability is a major factor to blind box products. Lines often include multiple items all with a related theme, aesthetic, or product type, and fans of blind boxes will often try to collect all of a particular line. 

A QR code included with the item can help fans better keep track of what they own, what they don’t own, and what other items are in the line they may want to look out for. Additionally, the rarity of each item can be given through these codes and even updated in real time. 

Expanding upon the previous point, the QR code provided with a blind box item can allow fans to view other similar products and blind box lines they may be interested in. If a blind box line is made to promote another piece of media, like a tie-in TV show or video game, additional information can be provided as well. 

One of the reasons why blind box products are so popular lately is the social aspect. Fans will often share their finds with others online and get the word out about any specific products they’re interested in. 

Because of this, the brands and makers of these products also tend to have a large social media presence to promote. A QR code can easily be created that links to accounts on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, and more to allow fans to communicate with each other and the companies involved. 

Oftentimes, a blind box product is more than the item itself. Many are tie-ins to licensed properties with their own stories, worlds, and characters to become immersed in. Even completely original product lines can have their own lore set up for the items within. 

This level of additional story telling can also be delivered to the fans via QR code. This could be through a unique web page, an informational video, an image, a text file, and a great number of other storytelling avenues in the digital age. 

Many of us are familiar with the plot of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where a boy finds a golden ticket in his candy bar which allows him to take an exclusive tour of the elusive factory that produced it. But did you know this is something that can actually be done with blind boxes and QR codes? 

Of course, you won’t get to meet Willy Wonka or see any oompa loompas, but many sweepstakes and giveaway prizes have been conducted with blind box products in the past with great success, and QR codes can be a helpful tool for these. 

All someone would have to do is scan the code and they’ll be able to find out if they won, what they won, what other prizes there are, and how to properly redeem their winnings. 

QR codes are both easy to use and easy to make through something like QR Code Developer. Just about every smart phone on the market has a QR code scanner built right in. All you need to do is point the camera at the code and tap the link when it pops up. 

QR codes can also be scanned from almost any angle and even when visible damage has been done to the code. 

By now, most people with smart phones are at least familiar with QR codes and know how to use them. In many regions, QR code payment is more popular than cash or cards. 

QR codes can be heavily customized, with unique colors and appearances to fit your needs or branding. 

The usage of QR codes surged during the COVID 19 pandemic since it allowed for people to communicate with each other, access content, and share resources, all without needing to touch each other or even be in the same space. 

If you use something like QR Code Developer to make your codes, then it’s possible to monitor how your codes are used. This can include information like how many scans your code got, where they were scanned, and even on what device they were scanned.