Genius T-Shirt Design QR Code Hack Goes Viral - Amazon Might Ban This!

About this video

RJ Martinez dissects a viral t-shirt design built around a QR code. He found a shirt whose QR code, when scanned with a phone, downloads a PDF that simply says ‘FU’, noting the seller appears to have used a space to get around Amazon’s inconsistent rules on profanity, which he advises viewers generally to stay away from rather than trying to bend. He brainstorms cleaner uses of the same mechanic, such as ‘I love you’, ‘Will you marry me?’ and ‘Let’s go on vacation’. He then demonstrates creation: make a simple message PDF in Microsoft Word (or Canva) and save it as PDF, create the QR code in QRFY (which he notes he found on a seven-day free trial, and asks viewers for a free alternative), customize the QR code’s colors, border and inner shapes, including themed graphics like coffee, beer or barbecue, download it in PNG or SVG and upscale it, then in Canva place it on the Merch by Amazon template, remove the background and export with a transparent background. He uploads it to Merch by Amazon and test-scans the code from the on-screen mockup to confirm the PDF loads, noting the printed shirt version will be larger.

Key takeaways

• A scannable QR code printed on a shirt can deliver a hidden message via a linked PDF, creating an interactive design that stands out from competitors.
• Avoid profanity and rule-bending tricks on Merch by Amazon; use clean messages like ‘I love you’, ‘Will you marry me?’ or ‘Let’s go on vacation’ instead.
• Workflow: create the message as a PDF in Word or Canva, generate the QR code in QRFY linking to that PDF, then customize its colors and shapes.
• Download the QR code as PNG/SVG, upscale it, place it on the Merch template in Canva, remove the background, and export with a transparent background before uploading.
• Always test-scan the finished design from the Merch by Amazon mockup to verify the code still resolves to the PDF before relying on the listing.

Episode details: published April 18, 2024 · 12:35 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are RJ Martinez’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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