SP Certification

WHAT IS BARCODE : UPC & EAN NUMBERS

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data relating to the object to which it is attached. Originally barcodes systematically represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D). Later they evolved into rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns in two dimensions (2D). Although 2D systems use a variety of symbols, they are generally referred to as barcodes as well. Barcodes originally were scanned by special optical scanners called barcode readers. Later, scanners and interpretive software became available on devices including desktop printers and smartphones.

Barcodes became commercially successful when they were used to automate supermarket checkout systems, a task for which they have become almost universal. Their use has spread to many other tasks that are generically referred to as automatic identification and data capture (AIDC). The very first scanning of the now ubiquitous Universal Product Code (UPC).


TYPE OF BARCODES:

EAN

EAN originally stood for "European Article Number," but has since been changed to "International Article Number." The term refers to the bar code used by retailers outside of North America. EANs are added to products so that retailers can track their inventory. An EAN is essentially identical to a UPC except that an EAN contains 13 digits whereas a UPC has only 12. The extra digit makes up part of the country code and refers to where the bar code was registered. The country code has no bearing on where the product itself was manufactured. UPCs can be converted into EANs by simply adding a zero to the start of the number. Many North American retailers accept EANs, but if you know you are going to sell your product in Canada or the United States, it's a safer option to use a UPC.

UPC

A UPC, which stands for Universal Product Code, is a 12-digit bar code used primarily in Canada and the United States. Retailers add UPCs to each item they sell in order to track their product inventory. UPCs can be used outside of North America, although some international retailers prefer EANs (European Article Number). It’s always best to check with your retailer in advance.


BENEFIT OF BAR CODES

Fast-selling items can be identified quickly and automatically reordered.

Slow-selling items can be identified, preventing inventory build-up.

The effects of merchandising changes can be monitored, allowing fast-moving, more profitable items to occupy the best space.

Historical data can be used to predict seasonal fluctuations very accurately.

Items may be repriced on the shelf to reflect both sale prices and price increases.

This technology also enables the profiling of individual consumers, typically through a voluntary registration of discount cards. While pitched as a benefit to the consumer, this practice is considered to be potentially dangerous by privacy advocates. When a manufacturer packs a box for shipment, a Unique Identifying Number (UID) can be assigned to the box.

A database can link the UID to relevant information about the box; such as order number, items packed, quantity packed, destination, etc.

The information can be transmitted through a communication system such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) so the retailer has the information about a shipment before it arrives.

Shipments that are sent to a Distribution Center (DC) are tracked before forwarding. When the shipment reaches its final destination, the UID gets scanned, so the store knows the shipment's source, contents, and cost.


HOW DO UPC/EAN BAR CODES WORK?

In short, barcodes are a simple, unique I.D. number for your product. Just like a phone has a phone number but with more digits. You'll need a unique barcode number for each variation of your product(s), so by color, size, weight, style etc etc.

Example 1: If you have 1 t-shirt in 5 colors, you need 5 barcodes. Now if each of those 5 colors also has 5 sizes each, then you need 25 barcodes (5x5).

Example 2: If you have 1 bottle of water, but a million quantity to sell, you only need 1 barcode number. You'll just print that 1 barcode out a million times or as long as you're manufacturing that product.

When you go to sell your product at a retailer (i.e. Whole Foods, Etsy, Amazon etc.), that retailer's on-boarding department will have you fill out a product information form. On that form is where you will put your company and product details as well as your 12-digit UPC (Or 13-digit EAN) bar code number. The retailer then manually enters that information into their inventory management computer. This way, when they scan your bar code at the register (or on their site), it calls up that data you entered in their system and gives you credit for the 1 sale and deducts 1 unit from their inventory.

The bar code is simply a link between your product and the product information form you fill out for each store that sells your product. The bar code number & bar code image itself does not contain any hidden data, names, prices etc.

Each store, website, database and P.O.S. system will be private, internal, and is usually not publicly editable. This means that in order for you to get into a store or get your data onto a particular website that you want, you will need to manually contact that store/site and ask them what you need to do to manually upload your data so that it appears on their system/servers.


HOW DO I REGISTER A BAR CODE?

This question often takes the form of, “How do I get my info to appear when scanned?” or “I want to see my info appear when I google it.”

First, let’s cover two major misconceptions about bar codes.

Myth #1: “UPC/EAN bar codes contain my product data, those bars = my product name & price.”

False. This is false because UPC/EAN’s are very simple numbers, they do not contain any data. Think of them like a phone number for your item, it’s just a unique reference number that connects to your product in a store's P.O.S. system.

Myth #2: “UPC/EAN’s & their data get uploaded into a global network that all stores connect to, like the internet.”

False. This is false because there is not a global bar code network, neither is there a barcode-internet that a store's POS system plugs into. Each store has their own private, internal database & P.O.S. system. So that when a can of Coke appears "Rs.25" when scanned it's because of the store manager or employee on the back end that manually typed it all in before it ever entered the building.

Step 1: To "register" a bar code: First thing you would do is personally assign the bar codes to your products, this is done by you/your company and you would have to keep your own records of these associations. Many use spreadsheets or their own POS system, either way we recommend having your records backed up in case your computer crashes.

Step 2: Then you register/record this data at the store it will be sold at. Each store has their own internal, private database (aka: Point Of Sales System). This means that every new store/site you approach won't know anything about your product until you input the data into their private P.O.S. system.

Step 3: Repeat for all new stores/venues/distributors you approach to sell your barcoded products.

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