Looking at Barcodes in a Simpler Manner

Looking For Barcodes In A Simpler Manner | The Enterprise World

What are barcodes and how do they work?  Are there different types and which ones should I buy? Why should I invest my precious money in initiating a barcoding system within my business?  What can they actually do for me?  These are all very important questions to ask before embarking on your journey with barcodes. The thought of buying them can be a daunting one, but it doesn’t have to be.  The unknown is always scary. Once you get to know exactly how barcodes operate and how to use barcodes in a simpler manner to your best advantage, you will be a lot more confident in building your business successfully.

What are barcodes and what kinds of barcodes in a simpler manner do you get?

Barcodes can be defined as a manner of encoding information into a visual pattern that can be scanned by a retail scanner. They are rectangular images that contain black lines and white spaces. We see them in every shop we enter. They have become so popular and commonplace that we take them for granted. However, the reality is that they have transformed the world we live in and improved the way we do business.

There are many different kinds to choose from.  They are divided into two groups. Firstly, you get one dimensional formats that are used mostly in the retail industry in order to streamline the sales process and assist in stock control. These simple barcodes are able to be read by a scanner. The two most popular retail formats that are used are the EAN and UPC barcodes. Even though these originate overseas in America, they are now used throughout the world. What is the difference between these two formats?  They are exactly the same except that the EAN barcodes have an extra 0 in front.

Therefore the EAN barcodes are thirteen digits long and the UPC is one digit shorter.  Some retailers will prefer the UPC barcodes and others will go for the EAN barcodes. For each different size and variation of your items, you will need to purchase a separate code. Therefore, if you are selling beer in two different sizes and two different flavours, you will need four.

You also get box or case barcodes. These ITF-14 codes are used on bulk boxes such as a six pack of beer.  They are linked to the individual product code on each beer bottle. When it is scanned, it brings up the six pack of beer, not the individual beer bottles. This makes it a lot easier for retailers to accept stock into their inventory.  Some retailers will request these specific ones in addition to the traditional retail codes.

As technology has advanced, new more complex two dimensional formats have taken the world by storm. These can store a website address and they are also able to be scanned by any Smartphone. Quick Response codes are the most popular. They are used in payment applications such as Snapscan that have become so popular.  Snapscan makes it possible for people to buy their goods simply by scanning a QR.

This will link them to a website address where they can follow directions on how to pay. In this way, they have streamlined the sales process within retailers, making it quicker and more convenient for clients. In addition, they are also being used in marketing a business and making sure that it gets the best exposure possible. 

Investing in barcodes is most definitely the best decision you can make for your business.  The initial financial risk is worth it in the long run. They will open doors for your business and enable you to expand into more retailers. There are very few retailers that will be happy to stock your products without barcodes. Therefore, barcoding your products will encourage more retailers to agree to stock your products. Barcoding your products will also lift up the professional reputation of your business and ensure that your business grows and thrives.

In addition, it will save you both time and money by giving you complete control over your entire inventory. They will ensure that you are able to do regular stock checks without having to close your store. This means that you will know exactly what stock is in your inventory at all times. This will give you the information you need to make strategic business decisions.

It will also help in the re-ordering process. You will know when to reorder stock as well as how much of each item you should be stocking in order to meet the demand of your clients. A happy client is a regular client and a regular client means regular inflow of cash into your business.

It also helps to ensure that the sales process is as fast and efficient as possible. Long queues will be a thing of the past.  Clients will no longer have to waste their precious time waiting for service.  Retail assistants must simply scan each item’s barcode in order to bring it up on the sales system. This will save a lot of time and also lead to fewer mistakes being made. It is only natural to make certain mistakes such as ringing up the wrong item. This can lead to a loss of profit in the long run. They help to avoid such mistakes and thus enhance your profit margin.

There are several routes to buying barcodes. The first one is to approach the GS1 South Africa. They sell the specifically South African number called the 600. This is because they always start with 600. These codes can only be used within South Africa. Therefore this will limit your international prospects.  In addition, the process of buying codes through GS1 SA is long and often fairly costly. They require you to pay yearly renewal fees in order to become a member of GS1. 

The easier and most cost effective route is to purchase through a reseller.  These companies sell barcodes that they have bought in bulk. These are legal and fully registered.  The most trusted and reliable of these resellers is www.barcodes123.co.za. We are able to supply the full range of and only charge a once off fee. These include EAN, UPC, ITF-14 as well as the more complex QRC. Once you have decided how many you would like to purchase, the next step is to approach us for a quote. Alternatively, you can choose one of our online packages.

Payment options are to pay through Payfast with your credit card or to pay via electronic transfer.  Once payment is made, we will require a name to register under. This can be either your business name or your personal name.  The last step is for us to send your package out to you. This will be done via email. Quick and easy.

This guide to barcodes in a simpler manner will hopefully set you up for success in your business. They can be critical tools that you can use to boost your business within the competitive world of today. They will help to raise up your reputation and ensure that both your clients and your competitors will take you seriously.  There are so many ways that you can use them to boost your profit margin and ensure that your business runs as smoothly as possible. They will pay for themselves over and over throughout the years. Buy barcodes and give your business the best possible chance to thrive. 

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