Simon & Schuster Adding QR Codes To Print Books

Simon & Schuster will be adding QR codes to all of the back jackets of their hardcover and trade paperback books starting this fall.  S&S hopes to use the codes to build direct-to-consumer relationships.

About 26% of S&S’s sales are digital now.  The QR codes are being looked at as a way to connect digital and print books.  The codes will make it easy for consumers to visit the S&S website and subscribe to newsletters according to S&S chief digital officer Ellie Hirschhorn.

When scanning the QR code on a book, it ”will bring the consumer to the author’s mobile page on S&S.com where they can sign up for an email, browse the author’s other books and watch video.”

The jackets will have a printed link to the author’s website as well.  S&S will track the number of scans for each title.  S&S said that integrating QR codes are not expensive and it is worth a try.