Ideas for email QR codes
- Customer feedback: “Feedback about my visit” on receipts or tables.
- Support: on product packaging and manuals, with the product name in the subject.
- Event RSVPs: on printed invitations.
- Job and sales enquiries: on posters, stands and vehicles.
Tip: use a distinct subject for each place you print the code, and you'll know exactly where each email came from.
How an email QR code works
The code holds a standard mailto: link, the same kind of link used for “email us” buttons on websites. It contains the address, and optionally a subject and a message, encoded so that spaces and punctuation survive. When someone scans it, the phone recognises the link and opens its default email app with a new message ready. Nothing is sent until they press send, and they can edit anything first.
Why not just print your address?
- No typing mistakes. One wrong letter in an address means the email never arrives, and the sender rarely finds out.
- Clearer messages. A pre-written subject such as “Order 1042: return request” tells you what the email is about before you open it, and makes it easy to filter.
- Less effort for the sender. People are more likely to write when most of the work is already done.
Writing the subject and message
- Keep the subject short and specific: “Feedback: Saturday visit”, “Support: model X200”.
- Use the message to prompt for what you need: “My order number is: ” or “Date and time I’d like to book: ”.
- Don’t include anything private. Anyone who scans the code can read the full text.
- Long messages make the code denser. A sentence or two is plenty.
Before you print
Scan the code with your phone and check that the right address, subject and message appear. Then send the test email to yourself to make sure it arrives. If the code will stay on display for years, use an address that won’t change, such as a shared inbox, rather than one person’s work email.