Loyalty by QR code or by NFC tag: what really changes
Compared with a QR code loyalty card, Lecy uses an NFC tag: the customer holds up their phone instead of framing a code with their camera, and the chip signs every visit, which a printed image cannot do.
The QR code is cheaper to produce. NFC is faster to use and impossible to photograph.
The comparison, point by point
| Criterion | Lecy (NFC tag) | Printed QR code |
|---|---|---|
| Customer gesture | Holds up their phone | Opens the camera, frames, waits for focus |
| Duration | ≈ 2 seconds | 5 to 15 seconds depending on conditions |
| In dim light | Works | Difficult: the code must be lit and sharp |
| Can the code be photographed and shared | No, the signature changes at every read | Yes, a photo of the code is enough |
| Usable away from the shop | No | Yes, if the customer has the photo |
| Cost of the medium | A few euros per tag | A few cents, printable yourself |
| Replacement if damaged | New tag to order | Immediate reprint |
| Phone compatibility | Over 95% | Universal |
The gesture: framing versus holding up
Scanning a QR code means opening the camera, aiming, holding the phone steady enough for focus, then tapping the notification. On a sunny terrace, in a bar in the evening, or with a bag in the other hand, it takes noticeably longer than the two seconds promised.
Holding a phone to a tag needs no aiming, no light and no steadiness. It is the same gesture as contactless payment, which the customer has just made.
The QR code’s flaw: it is an image
A printed QR code is a fixed image. It always encodes the same URL. Anyone who photographs it can reuse it from home, send it to friends, or post it. For a loyalty programme, that means points can be earned without ever entering the shop.
Workarounds exist (rotating codes on a screen, a different code each day) but they require a screen to power or regular reprinting, and they bring back the constraint you were trying to avoid.
An NTAG 424 chip does not have that problem: it computes a different signature at every read. There is nothing to photograph.
What it changes in the numbers
A programme whose points can be earned remotely no longer measures footfall. The counters go up, the rewards go out, but the link with real visits is broken, and you are giving coffees to people who did not come.
That is why Lecy is built on proof of visit rather than on identifying the customer.
When the QR code remains preferable
If you want to test the idea of a loyalty programme for a few euros before committing, a QR code printed at home does the job. There is nothing to order and nothing to wait for.
If your need is not proof of visit (giving access to a menu, a card, a form) the QR code is perfectly suited and universally compatible, including with the rare phones without NFC. It also remains the right choice when the medium must be replaced often, for instance on a shopfront exposed to the weather.
Frequently asked questions
Do all phones read NFC?
Over 95% of smartphones in France support NFC (GSMA, 2024). On iPhone, reading is native since the iPhone XS. For the remaining cases, the shop adds the point manually.
Why can’t a QR code be secured the same way?
A printed QR code encodes a fixed URL. For it to change at every visit, you need a screen displaying it dynamically. An NFC chip computes its own signature at every read, with no power.
Does the NFC tag need a battery?
No. The tag is passive: it is powered by the phone’s field at the moment of reading. No battery, no cable, no maintenance.
What happens if the tag is damaged or stolen?
You report it and receive a replacement. The old tag is deactivated and your customers’ counters are kept.
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