It is likely that you will be faced with the question, “Do I need barcodes?.” A barcode can yield a lot of information from something so small and plain.
You face a big decision when deciding whether to use barcodes or not. There are several advantages to barcodes, but not every business needs them.
Aside from the multiple ways to buy barcodes in bulk, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Discover what barcodes are, whether you need them, and how you can determine which purchase method is right for your business.
What Does a Barcode Mean?
I want to make sure we understand exactly what barcodes are used for before we dive into their pros, cons, and processes. These codes serve many purposes beyond just scanning items at a store!
An UPC (universal product code) is a long number that appears on every barcode. An item number, the manufacturer ID number, and the check digit are identified by this number.
How do those numbers relate to each other? There are no differences in manufacturer ID numbers. For instance, the manufacturer ID number for every General Mills product is 016000. Every product containing that number belongs to the manufacturer. That makes it easy for stores to identify the manufacturer.
Barcodes: A Brief History
Barcodes have been explained…but when did they start being used, and why did we need them? Price entries at the register had to be done by hand before barcodes were invented. Therefore, long lines, inefficient use of labor, and plenty of unhappy and impatient customers followed.
Inventors began working on solutions to this problem as early as the 1940s. Among the first barcodes were Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver’s designs. However, technology at the time was not quite ready to offer this solution.
That vision became a reality two decades later with the introduction of the linear barcode we know today. As part of the Uniform Product Code Council, which later became GS1, barcode numbers began to be distributed and regulated.
There hasn’t been too much change regarding barcodes themselves-they still look the same, and GS1 distributes official barcodes.
The situation has, however, changed in some ways. In the beginning, barcodes were only used in grocery stores. Today, they are used in nearly every retail industry.
Furthermore, Over the years, companies and entrepreneurs have begun to buy barcodes in bulk and to resell them secondhand to business owners later on. The result is that product businesses now have more options when it comes to purchasing barcodes!
To begin with, you will have to decide whether you actually need your barcodes, before choosing how to buy them.
Do I Need Barcodes for My Product Business?
Barcodes are expensive to create, take a lot of time, and take a lot of effort. Getting barcodes for your product might seem like an unnecessary expense and hassle as you launch your business. However, it’s not always true.
It is necessary to have barcodes on your products, however, if you plan on selling them on Amazon. Additionally, if you plan to wholesale to a larger retailer like Target or Vitamin Shoppe, rather than a small boutique, you will likely need a barcode.
The retailers carry merchandise from hundreds, if not thousands, of suppliers. As a result of barcodes, they can keep track of sales and determine what products to continue stocking in the future.
