When we talk about selling goods in the market, it is needless to stress the importance of barcode numbers. Every day, the consumer is becoming more and more advanced and aware. Gone are the days when consumers used to rely on hearsay about the products they were buying. This necessitates any company to have detailed information on how to create a barcode for a product. 

The introduction of barcodes has been equally beneficial for consumers, sellers, and manufacturers. For manufacturers, suppliers, and sellers, the barcode system has revolutionised the supply chain helping them maintain efficient inventory levels, streamlined supply chain processes, and effective resource allocation. 

Introduction

Barcodes are a gateway to complete product information, they can be scanned at multiple stages of the supply chain to verify the authenticity of the products. They encode a unique identification number which contains detailed information about the product, including the manufacturer’s name, expiry and manufacturing date, and nutritional information. Read this blog to understand the basics of barcodes and how to create a barcode for a product. 

Understanding Barcodes 

What is a Barcode?

Barcodes are visual representations of product information, presented in either 1D or 2D format. They are machine-readable and can be scanned at various checkpoints. 2D barcodes can have a URL that can direct the user to the product’s website for more extensive information. 1D barcodes are a series of parallel lines that have varying widths and blank spaces and can store limited information about the product. 

How Barcodes Work

Barcodes are scanned at point-of-sale to display product information on the system. The scanner retrieves information about the product from the product database and presents it to the retailers. Consumers can also scan these barcodes by leveraging the mobile app or the official website of “Smart Consumer” for authentic product information. 

The Importance of Barcodes in Product Information

Benefits of Using Barcodes

Barcodes provide numerous benefits to sellers. Some of them are mentioned below – 

• Efficient inventory management – Barcodes help in keeping track of product inventory. Since the information about products is kept in a centralised data repository, business owners know in advance about situations of overstocking or stockouts and can take preventive measures. 

• Enhanced accuracy in product tracking – Products with barcodes can be tracked by the manufacturer throughout the supply chain process. This elevates the accuracy and safety of the products and prevents cases of counterfeiting and adulteration. Manufacturers can access information on where, when, and how about the products. 

• Improved Customer Experience – Barcodes can be scanned by consumers using the Smart Consumer web and mobile application to get authentic information about the products. This helps them make smart and informed purchase decisions. It also boosts customer experience and satisfaction creating a loyal customer base for businesses. 

How Barcodes Contribute to Product Insights 

Barcodes help easily access product details in every stage of the supply chain. They can be scanned to get authentic and verified information about the products as information is directly updated by the manufacturer. This in turn fosters increased transparency, mitigating the chances of counterfeiting. 

How to Create a Barcode for a Product

To create a barcode for a product, follow the below-mentioned steps – 

Step 1: Choose the Right Type of Barcode 

Identify which type of barcode will suit your specific needs and requirements. 1D barcodes can only contain limited information about the product while 2D barcodes can contain comparatively large information. 2D barcodes can also be scanned by mobile phones. If you are a business owner who deals in the healthcare industry, it is advised to go for 2D barcodes. 

Step 2: Gather Product Information 

After you have identified the product type, gather the essential details of your product such as dimensions, weight, product name, nutritional information, expiry and manufacturing date etc. 

Step 3:  Use a Barcode Generator Tool

You can get your Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN) by becoming a registered subscriber of GS1 India. Once you get registered, you will get access to the GS1 DataKart platform which will help you in the GTIN generation. GS1 India is the only authorised body to generate barcodes for companies in India. 

Step 4: Verify and Test the Barcode

You can check whether your barcode is scannable and accurate by entering GTIN details on the “Verified by GS1” portal on the GS1 Global website. Similarly, you can check the authenticity of locations by entering the Global Location Number (GLN) on the website. You can also avail of the GTIN Verification service provided by GS1 India to validate and test the quality of your barcode. 

Step 5: Print and Apply the Barcode

After you have followed the above steps, you can download the image of your barcode and print it for packaging purposes in the market.  

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a few mistakes you must avoid while you go through the process of how to create a barcode for a product – 

• Not Enough White Space – Business owners make the mistake of not keeping enough white spaces in the barcode. Kindly ensure you have kept quiet zones so that the scanner can read barcodes effectively. 

• Truncated Barcodes – Companies usually cut the barcode length to fit that on packages which is not a nice practice. Doing this prevents scanners from interpreting the encoded barcode information, as a result, companies face losses because of rejections at point-of-sale. 

• Incorrect Colour Combination – Barcodes should always be printed on a white or light background in black or darker colour. This ensures the scanner picks the barcode without any error. 

• Using the Same GTIN –  GTIN should be different for different or new product lines/ Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) to avoid any legal actions. 

Advanced Barcode Techniques

Below are some advanced techniques you can apply to streamline your supply chain process – 

1. Integrating Barcodes with Inventory Systems

Barcodes when scanned at point-of-sale facilitate inventory management. They can be used to obtain information about different product attributes such as ingredients, Maximum Retail Price (MRP), dimensions, net content, etc. This information can then be used in updating inventory management applications/ systems.

1. Using QR Codes for Additional Product Information 

2D barcodes have gained prevalence in the market, more so because of the introduction of QR barcodes. QR codes are a type of 2D barcode that can take consumers to the direct source of information via URL. Additionally, they provide space for more detailed information that is helpful for customers and retailers alike.  

Conclusion

By now you have learned the benefits of using barcodes, how they play an important role in the market and how to create a barcode for a product. To steer away from supply chain process mismanagement and inefficiencies it is advised to adopt a standardised and structured approach of selling goods in the market. Barcodes deliver numerous benefits to everyone involved in the process, if you have not yet registered for barcodes, register now for easy and swift processes.