Month: May 2023

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Karmik Blogs

The Results Are In: Alt Fly Fishing Magazine Tested Karmik

To read the full article it’s linked here.

Essentially, Ippy heard about Karmik and wanted to give it a test for the magazine and test his faith in the angling community. He reached out and we jumped on the opportunity.

We reached out our partners at Montana Fly Company (MFC), and they sent us about 20 fly boxes and some flies. We reached out to our local fly shop Anglers, and they donated a pile of flies. Seriously, like hundreds of flies. Big thanks to MFC and Anglers for helping us make this happen.

We filled the boxes and sent them to Ippy. He recorded the information like a true scientist then dropped them and we waited for results.

The return results were what we had expected but was definitely reassuring to have an independent test to prove our communities are good and want to return found items. One of the most profound things I discovered with this test was that people are good and inherently want to do the right thing. This is proven because even thought Karmik offers a 5-point return incentive for finders, nearly every finder refused the reward. Only once we explained it was a test and they can keep the fly boxes as a thank you, did they accept the box as a reward. Another finding I love is how connected our communities are. This was a fly fishing test and as such, fly fishermen knew the value of the boxes and wanted to return them. The same could be said with the snow sports communities as well as paddle sports and golf and photography. We need to give people the opportunity to do the right thing because they want to.

Simple drop test of full fly boxes from Alt Fishing Magazine.
Key Stats from the fly fishing box drop test.

Thanks for reading.

  • Robert, found of Karmik and humbled outdoorsman
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Why Does Karmik Use QR Codes?

Why QR codes

Think of a QR code as a url that you scan instead of type. It saves time and energy. ‘Scanners’ can be directed to the exact page they need to go to. Accuracy, simplicity and speed. The familiarity of QR codes has exploded in the past decade. Karmik uses QR codes for accuracy, simplicity and convenience. 

QR (Quick Response) codes are two-dimensional barcodes that can be read by a QR code scanner or a smartphone camera. They are useful for a variety of reasons:

QR codes take users to the correct url.
  1. Convenience: QR codes are very simple. QR codes can be scanned quickly and easily with a smartphone camera or a QR code scanner. This makes it easy to access information without having to type in a web address or search for the information manually. Every modern smartphone now has the ability to scan a QR code. Just open your phone’s camera and hover over the QR and a link will popup. Easy as that. QR codes no longer require a special app for you to download thus reducing the barrier for use.  

  1. Versatility: QR codes can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as directing users to a website, providing contact information, accessing coupons or promotions, or providing product information. QR codes allow for incredible accuracy and immediate changes. If you go to a restaurant and scan a QR code for a menu you can see the current price, pictures, happy hour specials etc. Historically, if you change the menu, specials, price, add or change meals you needed to print new menus and that gets expensive and cost prohibitive. Same with all businesses where prices can be volatile. QR codes allow you to keep everything exact. 
  2. Efficiency: QR codes can be used to store a large amount of information in a small space. This can be particularly useful for businesses or organizations that need to share information with their customers or clients. Karmik puts a QR on most of our decals simply for convenience. It takes our members – and finders – to the exact page they need to be at to complete the registration or return gear. We have gotten a few questions about fear from scanning random QR codes and getting a virus. If you’re walking down the street and you see a QR code printed on plain paper and stapled to the phone pole below a ‘lost kitty’ poster, I probably wouldn’t scan it. But if it’s a branded reputable company that you can clearly view their website and see who they are, then Ya, probably a very low risk.
Any large flat surface can fit a Karmik decal.
  1. Data: QR codes can also be used to track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns or measure customer engagement. By using unique QR codes for different campaigns or promotions, businesses can track which codes are being scanned and measure the success of each campaign. QR codes were for marketing purposes almost exclusively for a long time. But the tides are changing and many companies are using them for more aspects of business. They are on everything from fliers to scooters to surveys to menus that the average American has now been so exposed to, they get and trust them (sorta). 

Not all surfaces are eligible for a QR code. QR codes can not scan on bent surfaces very well and have a size restriction for most phones. Your handheld radios or GPS or fishing rod simply can’t have a QR code because of surface area restrictions. Karmik has the ‘Anywhere Decal’ for those applications and it’s the one decal in the lineup that doesn’t have a QR. 

Anywhere Decal
QR codes don’t work well on small or rounded objects.

Thanks for reading,

Robert, Founder at Karmik and simplicity seeker.