What are the barcode types? There are many barcode types; what do you need for your business? In this post, you will learn the different types of barcodes, their uses, and how you can use them in your business.
Explaining the Different Types of Barcodes
Barcodes placed in retail items are not there for decorative purposes; they are there for a purpose. In simple terms, what are barcodes? Think of barcodes as a technologically savvy way to transfer a string of alphanumeric characters. Basically, if cars have license plates or conduction stickers for the official identification of the vehicle, products have barcodes for their unique identification.
In addition, the alphanumeric characters found in a barcode contains all type of information. For example, country of origin, product price, product size, manufacturer, and many more. A barcode saves any business owner the time and effort to manually writing the product information encrypted on the barcode.
The Symbology Of the Barcode
The symbologies on the barcode allow for faster transfer from a scanner to the computer. Each of the symbols found on a barcode has an algorithm for standardized encoding and storing character information.
In other words, the symbols found in barcodes have different qualities in linearity and capacity. Making it useful for many uses in various types of industries. That includes retail shops, supermarkets, packaging, e-Commerce business, and many more. Barcode technology keeps innovating, and we have to admit that it’s making our everyday lives easier.
Barcode Types And Uses Of Each
Now that you understand what barcodes are, it’s time to learn the different barcode types and their uses. Here are several of the barcodes you should know about:
The Code 39 Barcode
The Code 39 barcode is one of the oldest barcodes there is. Also, it is a common symbology used in the healthcare industry, electronics sector, and government agencies. The Code 39 barcode is 1D, lineal, alphanumeric code that includes the complete 128 ASCII character set up to its full extent that is only limited on the label’s size. If you need a barcode that needs more space, you may opt for the Code 128 barcode.
The Code 128 Barcode
Next up is the Code 128 barcode derived from the ASCII 128 character set (this includes numbers, letters, and special characters). The compact barcode 128 is commonly seen in shipping applications and packaging worldwide. The Code 128 barcode features an automatic switching mode that allows users to optimize the barcode length.
The Universal Product Code (UPC)
The Universal Product Code (UPC barcode), used in almost every retail product, is a common barcode. UPCs are barcodes initially created for supermarkets or grocery stores to provide faster check-out time and inventory management process. When a product manufacturer procures a UPC number, the company will receive a unique company number combined with individual product numbers.
The International Article Number (EAN)
The International Article Number, EAN barcode for short, is the superset of the Universal Product Code. Traditionally, booksellers, universities, libraries, publications, and book wholesalers use EAN barcodes. Furthermore, EAN barcodes are codes that consist of 13 digits. Similar to the UPC, the EAN follows the standardized numbering system for the unique identification of publishing companies.
The Quick Response (QR Codes)
The modern code we see nowadays in the QR code. To give you an idea, QR codes hold data like simple texts, addresses, contact information, or even used in marketing tools. In addition, some stores also use QR codes for payment channels, link to websites, even in the pandemic era, for contact tracing.
The Data Matrix
Another type of barcode is the Data Matrix. This is a common type of 2D barcode, square-shaped, and can encode large amounts of information even with the limited space. Moreover, the Data Matrix is common in the healthcare and electronics industry. However, the downside of using Data Matrix barcodes is that it will require sophisticated scanners to translate the entire image.
Do You Need UPC or EAN Barcodes?
Do you need UPC or EAN barcodes for your online shop? Are you planning to be the next big thing in Amazon, eBay, or Etsy? You’re going to need either UPC or EAN barcodes to make it possible. That’s where Unique Product Codes can help you. Reach out to us now; we can provide you with legit and affordable barcodes. Contact us now!