A review QR code on product packaging works when customers know what it does before they scan, it opens a form that's easy on a phone, and it still works in two years. Print one clear line next to it ("Scan to review your order"), point it at a URL on your own domain, test the printed code, and offer a separate way to get help.
Why packaging QR codes often fail
They fail in boring ways. Nobody knows what the code is for. It opens the homepage. It opens a form that needs a login. It was printed for a review app the store cancelled last year. The code is 1cm wide on a shiny curved box and won't scan.
None of that is hard to fix. It just needs deciding before you print 5,000 inserts.
Decide what the code is for
One code, one job. Pick:
- Review this product → straight to that product's review form.
- Review your order (mixed orders) → a page where they pick which product.
- Get help or set up the product → instructions or a support route.
If you want both review and help, I'd use two separate codes, clearly labeled. Or one code that opens a simple page on your domain with two big buttons: "Leave a review" and "Need help? Message us". What you shouldn't do is label a support page "Review us" or the other way round. Customers who are about to write a complaint and land on a private support chat may feel you've redirected them on purpose.
What to print next to the code
Keep it short, tell them what happens, and set expectations on time.
For a single-product insert:
Enjoying your bamboo cutting board? Scan to leave a quick review (about 1 minute). Honest feedback helps us and other buyers.
For a mixed order insert:
Scan to review what you ordered. Pick the product, tap the stars, done.
Something wrong with your order? Don't wait for a review: message us on WhatsApp at +XX XXX XXX XXXX.
Ask for honest feedback, not five stars. And don't make the support route a hurdle in front of the review route. A customer with a problem should be able to get help and still leave a review if they want to. Our guide to review request message examples has more neutral wording you can adapt.
Point the code at a URL you control
Printed inserts outlive your app stack. If you encode a review app's long form URL directly into the QR code and switch review apps next year, every insert still in circulation becomes a dead end.
