QR codes in e-commerce: how to add QR to delivery notes, returns and packaging

The delivery note inside the box is the first document the customer reads when they receive it. It is the moment of maximum attention. A QR on that delivery note pointing directly to the carrier's order tracking (Correos, GLS, DHL, Seur) has a very high scan rate.

The usual problem: the tracking URL changes per order. If you print the static QR with the order's tracking URL, it works. But if you use a dynamic QR code, you can do something more sophisticated.

Flow with a dynamic QR: 1. Create a dynamic QR in codigo-qr.es per order (or per batch of orders for the day). 2. The QR points to the carrier tracking URL for that order. 3. When the carrier completes delivery and the tracking URL expires, update the QR destination to a post-sale page: 'Your order was delivered. Leave a review or contact support'. 4. If the customer scans the QR days after receiving it, they land on the post-sale page instead of a 404 error.

Step 3 is the real difference: a static QR leads to an error when the tracking URL expires. A dynamic QR always points to valid content.

The paperless returns process works like this:

1. The QR on the delivery note or inside the box points to your shop's returns form. 2. The customer scans, fills in the form (order number, reason, product, whether they want an exchange or refund) and submits it. 3. The shop receives the request with all the data and can generate the returns label by email. 4. The customer prints the label (or shows it on their phone at compatible collection points) and sends the package.

Advantages over a physical returns form:
• The customer does not have to keep a piece of paper that gets lost or crumpled
• The shop receives structured data, not handwritten on a form
• The record is in the system from the moment the customer submits it, not when the package arrives
• The QR can point to the platform's returns form (Shopify Returns, WooCommerce, etc.) or an external form (Typeform, Google Forms)

Tip: if you use a dynamic QR for the returns form, you can change the destination if you migrate platforms or switch form providers. The QR printed on thousands of boxes in your warehouse keeps working without change.

For products with usage instructions, a warranty period or mandatory registration, a QR on the packaging is the cleanest way to provide that information without printing a 12-page booklet.

Usage instructions: Upload the manual as a PDF to Google Drive, Notion or the shop's server. Create a dynamic QR pointing to that PDF. When you release a revised version of the manual (correcting an error, instructions for a new firmware version), update the QR destination. Already-packaged box stock still points to the correct manual.

Warranty registration: Instead of a warranty card the customer has to fill in by hand and keep, a QR on the box opens the registration form. The customer completes it from their phone in 60 seconds. The data arrives directly in your system, with date and time logged automatically.

Technical specifications and certificates: For products with CE, REACH, ROHS or other regulatory certificates, the QR can point to the full technical datasheet. If regulations change and the datasheet is updated, the dynamic QR always points to the current version.

This is especially relevant for e-commerce selling in multiple EU countries: you can have datasheets in several languages and point the QR to the language version matching the order's destination market.

Google Maps or Trustpilot reviews are one of the most valuable assets for an e-commerce business, and one of the hardest to obtain. A follow-up email has an open rate of 20-30%. A QR in the packaging reaches a customer who has already received the product and is emotionally positive.

Where to place the reviews QR:
• 'Thank you for your purchase' card inside the box: the moment of unboxing is peak positivity.
• Delivery note: more utilitarian, but it also works.
• Adhesive label on the outside of the box: the customer sees it before opening.

Which URL to use:
• Google: search for your business on Google Maps, tap 'Reviews', copy the page URL. You can also generate a short reviews link in Google Business Profile.
• Trustpilot: in your Trustpilot account, under 'Invitations', you can copy the direct invitation link.
• Amazon: the product review link has the format `amazon.co.uk/review/create-review/?asin=XXXX`.

Card text: Keep the message short and direct: 'Did everything arrive well? Your feedback helps us a lot.' with the QR below. Avoid long texts or requests that feel like pressure: the customer decides whether to leave a review or not.