What Is a Barcode? Everything You Need To Know
By Milos Djurovic
June 19, 2023
Barcodes can be found on almost anything these days, from products at the grocery store to educational books at the university shop. They have many uses, including identifying products, ensuring improved inventory control, and scanning prices.
What exactly is a barcode? Here we will delve a little bit deeper into what a barcode is and what it means, the different types of barcodes, their parts, and how they are used.
What Does a Barcode Mean?
One of the common challenges people have with barcodes is understanding what they are and what they mean. At its simplest, a barcode is a machine-readable representation of data. This data can be used to identify and track objects with a barcode reader.
Because barcodes can be read by machines, they can be automatically entered into a database to track inventory and inventory management. This can save businesses money by preventing them from overstocking products or accidentally selling items for less than they are worth.
Types of Barcodes
The most common type of barcode is the Universal Product Code or UPC. This type of barcode is used on products at the grocery store. Another common type of barcode is the ISBN, which uses 13 digits and can be tracked online without requiring a barcode scanner.
Next, there are GS1 barcodes. What is a GS1 barcode? These barcodes are similar to UPC barcodes, but they are primarily used to track inventory and prices. GS1 actually stands for “global standards one,” which is an internationally recognized barcode standard for goods.
This type of barcode can be found on products at the grocery store, construction materials, books, and many other shippable items.
Finally, there are QR codes. QR codes are a newer type of two-dimensional barcode that has become more popular over the years. They can be used to store information about a product or website on various surfaces, including stickers, posters, and even t-shirts that you can wear.
QR codes can quickly be scanned by a smartphone to instantly access anything on the internet, from company websites to restaurant menus.
As you can see, all types of barcodes have a purpose in business and deciding on which one to use ultimately depends on the way your business operates.
Parts of a Barcode
Barcodes have two main parts: the human-readable part and the machine-readable part. The human-readable part is the series of numbers or letters that you can see. This part is used to identify the product. The machine-readable part is the series of black and white bars that the machine reads. This part tells the machine what the product is and how it should be tracked.
Uses of Barcode Technology
So what is a barcode used for? Barcode scanners and technology can be used in a variety of ways. The most common use is helping businesses with inventory balance, tracking goods, and querying the database for product prices on the spot.
This can be helpful for retail stores to prevent overstocking or selling below market price. Barcodes can also be used to track library books, products at the grocery store, and other items.
However, some types of barcodes, such as QR barcodes, can also be used for marketing purposes. Since they are 2D, these barcodes can be printed on signage, mugs, hats, and all sorts of business marketing materials.
Benefits of Barcode Technology
There are several benefits of using barcode technology. One is that it can save retail stores time and money by preventing them from overstocking products, miscalculating inventory, or accidentally selling items for less than they are worth.
Another benefit is that barcodes can be used to track a variety of objects, from college books to products at the grocery store, with barcode scanners. This can be helpful for people who are trying to keep track of their belongings and for retail stores using it for part management and inventory control.
Final Thoughts
A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data used to identify and track objects. They can be found in almost anything, from products at the grocery store to library books. Barcodes can save businesses time and money by preventing them from accumulating too much inventory, miscalculating, and wasting precious resources.
Additionally, barcodes can be used to track a variety of products and objects. This can be helpful for people who need to keep track of their belongings or for businesses that need inventory tracking. The uses of barcode technology are endless and will continue to evolve over the years with the adoption of QR code technology by the average smartphone user.
Now that you know what a barcode is, you will know exactly how they work next time your shop at a retail store or use the postal service.