Turning Shoppers into Advocates: Designing Shareable Brand Moments with QR Codes

You can always tell if it’s Black Friday or Cyber Monday (BFCM) season. Everyone’s posting “Our biggest sale yet,” sales dashboards are lighting up, and teams are celebrating record revenue—and rightfully so. But after the rush dies down, what next? 

Most brands walk away with great numbers but miss what could’ve been their biggest win: genuine advocacy. The kind that doesn’t end when the promo code expires. Because while BFCM is built on transactions, its real power lies in the moments people choose to share. 

What if you could simplify that for your shoppers? When moments are designed with intention, QR Codes can turn a weekend sale into a lasting connection.

Let’s look at how QR Code-powered experiences can help build brand advocates and improve customer loyalty. 

Why BFCM and QR Codes belong together for advocacy

BFCM has always been about speed, which includes finding the best deals fast, discovering new brands, and checking out before the clock runs out. It’s the one time of year when shoppers actively explore, compare, and share. That level of attention doesn’t happen often, creating a powerful window for advocacy.

The numbers back this up.

When we surveyed 1,000 consumers in the United States for our BFCM QR Code Marketing Report, 74% said they’re likely to scan a QR Code during BFCM if there’s clear value behind it. 

That signals that shoppers are open, curious, and ready to engage. The only question is: how do brands make that interaction count? To make every scan count, start by learning how top brands optimize their BFCM QR Code experiences for conversion before layering on advocacy.

QR Codes turn discovery into action, with no long URLs, less friction, and a quick scan that leads to something valuable. It could be a surprise bundle, a secret drop, or a loyalty perk. QR Codes help shoppers act on excitement in real time and share it just as quickly.

And this is where advocacy begins. A great BFCM deal might bring a sale, but a well-designed QR Code experience creates a story. Imagine a shopper scanning a code on your Instagram Story to unlock a 24-hour offer and then sending it to three friends because it feels too good (and fun) to keep to themselves. Brand love spreads exactly like this.

BFCM naturally fuels attention. QR Codes give that attention somewhere to go. And together, they create the perfect foundation for long-term advocacy.

Pre-sale: Build anticipation that feels exclusive

If your first touchpoint with a shopper happens on Black Friday, you’re already behind. The weeks before BFCM are where advocacy quietly begins, when people build wish lists and plan what’s coming. 

Yet many brands miss this window entirely.

Our research reveals that one-third of marketers only start their campaigns one to two weeks before BFCM. 

The result? You’re competing for attention when everyone else is already in the mix.

The better move is to start earlier, and QR Codes are made for that. They’re perfect for creating that “you’re in on it before everyone else” energy. Think of them as digital keys to exclusivity. 

Like:  

• A QR Code-based countdown shared with loyal subscribers.
• A limited-access page unlocked only by scanning a code printed on packaging or in a VIP email. 
• A teaser QR Code on social media that reveals just enough to spark curiosity on a blurred preview of a product drop or a hidden discount that goes live later.

Those pre-sale moments don’t just build excitement; they help shoppers feel like they belong. This kind of anticipation turns first-time shoppers into early advocates. They become people who aren’t just waiting for your sale, but are ready to tell others when it starts.

During the sale: Design shareable experiences, not just deals

The momentum is building. 

59% of marketers used QR Codes during BFCM, from printed ads and store displays to social posts and packaging, showing how scanning is gaining momentum in today’s campaign mix.

When the sale goes live, everything moves fast. Ads are everywhere, inboxes are full, and shoppers are jumping between carts and promo codes. In that rush, QR Codes can help your offer stand out.

Here’s the playbook: 

• Use scarcity smartly: Instead of just displaying “limited stock,” build a QR Code moment around it. Drop a scannable teaser that unlocks a secret product page or a limited-time add-on. It makes people feel like they’ve stumbled onto something exclusive, and they share it with others.
• Make bundles feel more intentional: Bundles already make gifting easier, but a small QR Code detail turns them into something personal. Think: scan-to-reveal care tips, bundled stories, or even a note from the brand. These details drive organic mentions and shares; over time, those moments turn into advocacy.
• Add a layer of play: Gamified QR Code moments like “scan to win,” “scan for a mystery reward,” or “scan to reveal what’s inside” keep shoppers curious. They break the monotony of endless deals and add a bit of fun back into the process.

The point isn’t to complicate the sale, it’s to make the experience more interactive. Every time someone scans and shares what they found, they do part of your marketing for you. Advocacy begins right here, in the middle of the sales rush.

Post-sale: Keep advocacy alive

The sale is finally over, but building relationships with your shoppers shouldn’t stop. Post-purchase is when they are most emotionally available, happy, excited, and sometimes even proud of their find. This makes it the perfect moment to extend post-sale engagement beyond the holiday season, keeping advocacy alive through personalized QR Code follow-ups and loyalty touchpoints. This is your moment to turn their satisfaction into advocacy.

A simple thank-you can do more than you think. Drop a small QR Code card inside every package, leading to:

• A short thank-you video from your team
• A refer-a-friend reward
• Or an invite to join a loyalty circle before anyone else

And don’t over-polish it; the more human it feels, the more people respond, and it encourages them to share. 

Another idea is to set up a “scan to upload your holiday haul” page where customers can post photos or videos using your product. Celebrate them publicly; that simple act of visibility builds a community feel, and the advocacy loop continues.

When someone posts your product without being paid to, that’s trust money can’t buy.

The advocacy gap (and why most brands miss it)

For all the planning that goes into BFCM, most brands still measure conversions. In fact, 57% of marketers said revenue was their primary success metric. 

While revenue is obviously important, metrics like scans, shares, or referrals are crucial for measuring advocacy and long-term engagement. 

This focus on revenue over engagement creates the advocacy gap, when the sale looks good on paper, but the conversation stops right after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns. 

As a brand looking to build advocacy beyond the buzz that comes with the BFCM season, you need to keep tracking what actually builds your brand: the repeat visits, the people who talk about you, and the ones who keep scanning long after the sale. 

The basics still matter because momentum breaks every time a shopper hits an unscannable QR Code link, an expired offer, or unclear instructions. In fact, 35% of shoppers have challenges with unscannable QR Codes, 27% with slow loading times, and 26% with broken links, among other things. 

Those minor friction points can add up fast and turn off potential advocates. 

So advocacy shouldn’t happen by accident; you should design for it from the start of the campaign through its duration and afterward.

Here are some tips to help: 

• Use dynamic QR Codes: Update links in real time so shoppers never land on broken or expired pages.
• Build trust around scanning: Shoppers hesitate when told to scan a random QR Code. Use branded codes, HTTPS pages, and clear preview text so every scan feels safe and intentional.
• Audit every touchpoint: From the first scan to the thank-you message, ensure each step is uninterrupted and rewards curiosity.
• Track what happens after the scan: Measure who shared, who referred, and who returned, not just who purchased.

When you measure advocacy with the same intent as revenue, you start designing differently. Pages get clearer, the rewards are smarter, and follow-ups become more personal.

Design moments that last beyond the sale with QR Codes

The best BFCM campaigns don’t just end when the checkout screen closes; they live on in how people talk about them. When a shopper shares your offer, tags your brand in a story, or sends a QR Code link to a friend, that’s customer advocacy in motion.

QR Codes make those moments easy to spark and sustain. A single scan can open the door to a follow-up experience, so your shoppers remember not just the discounts, but also the shareable moments that keep them convinced to advocate for your brand. 

To see other trends, explore the full BFCM QR Code Marketing Report for insights and ideas you can build on for the coming sales season.