Barcodes are the traceability system used by most companies in all industries.

The code and barcode form an inseparable whole for identification at checkout. A barcode is a graphic transcription of a number.

The symbol allows for automatic data entry each time the article is read.

The code consists of a series of numbers called GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and has 13 digits.

The bar code is a graphic representation of the product code (GTIN). It is represented by a black bar and a blank or black and white line and is intended to be deciphered by the reader to provide information about origin, manufacturer, product reference, etc.

Bar codes are ubiquitous and appear on almost all products we buy in stores: food, clothes, books, medicines ......

Today, all items intended for sale in physical retail stores or markets must carry a barcode. 

The origin of barcodes

In 1952, the first patent on bar codes was filed by two Americans, Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, who were looking for a solution to automatically register a manufacturer's product. Then they had the rich idea of combining the sound system of a movie with Morse code. In order to translate these black bars and blank messages, it was necessary to scan this code with a light. Only 20 years later, after the development of technology, solutions could be developed and utilized.

It was in the early 1970s that the utility of bar codes took on its full meaning. Barcodes were generated and used in supermarkets to automate checkout tasks. This is the task we all know today as barcodes, which have become almost universal and will still be relevant today. The first product with a barcode to be scanned at the checkout was recorded as a pack of Wrigley's gum, and it was in Ohio in 1974. 

The success of barcodes and their longevity are due above all to their ease of use, low production costs, versatility, time savings for many tasks, and reliability. 

What are barcodes used for?

The free GTIN code (which translates to barcode) was first used to identify products circulating in the economy. Thanks to this unique code, it is possible to learn all the information about the product: its composition, country of origin, manufacturer, etc. 

Of course, barcodes have more than one string and stand out among merchants in many tasks, which is especially important for the good management of retail businesses. Identification is the first step in a traceability system, automatic identification then allows to know all the information about the product, to track and manage the process and the inventory in the company.  

Benefits of barcodes

Barcodes are the economic and business industry standard today. This comes from the numerous advantages that such identification offers.

Save time for consumers at checkout

When it comes to the market, barcodes enable consumers to spend less time at the checkout due to shorter queues. Supermarket attendance then exploded, which led to increased sales, the main result of which was, of course, lower prices for the end consumer. 

Supermarkets that offer a large number of items for sale have benefited from the advent of barcodes. In fact, smaller vendors with smaller sales volumes than the larger supermarkets did not initially implement barcodes because it was unprofitable for them in the short term. As a result, supermarkets experienced a particular boom at this time, thanks to barcodes that encouraged consumers to frequent these large areas to save time at the checkout. 

In addition, the checkout process, in addition to being smoother, also became more reliable and consumers more confident. 

Better management of product flow and inventory

Generated barcodes online are the most efficient and reliable way to manage inventory on both a small and large scale. In fact, if you want to manage your inventory in the best possible way, barcodes are not an option. Using this method allows for automated, highly accurate and fast (even instant) inventory tracking. In addition, barcodes can save valuable time when preparing orders and creating accompanying documents. 

You can then perform accurate inventory tracking and better visibility to manage inventory adjustments as well as possible. Products are organized and tracked in an automated manner, eliminating manual entry errors. Also for new references, managing the continuous flow of new product references becomes easier.

Replenishment is also faster and supply diversification becomes easier, which was not possible before.

To reduce human entry errors and improve inventory management, it is important to add barcodes to the software used to manage inventory and sales. 

Product Traceability

For retailers who buy products from different suppliers, it is helpful to know what they are purchasing.

In addition, barcodes help put the consumer at ease now that he is wary of manufacturers and likes to control what he buys. 

Combating Fraud

Every time a product's barcode is scanned at checkout, the latter is automatically recorded directly as a sold product. Thanks to such a system, misappropriation of public funds can be avoided.

Membership cards and statistical studies 

In addition to all the advantages we have just mentioned, the arrival of commercial barcodes has led to the arrival of membership cards, as well as statistical data on consumer preferences ......

Disadvantages of barcodes

Although barcodes are a very effective system, the fact remains that they are not as foolproof as any other method of inventory tracking. 

Barcodes can only be read using a specific reader provided for this purpose, which can be a considerable investment cost for small traders.

In addition, the storage of information remains limited. 

Different types of barcodes

There are two types of barcode generator online: the so-called one-dimensional (1D) bar codes and the so-called two-dimensional (2D) bar codes. 

1D barcodes are affixed to the package/package. 2D barcodes are for example called flash codes or 2D codes, as well as Datamatrix.

How does the barcode generator online work?

• Select the type of barcode you want to generate. If you are not sure, choose Code128, it is widely used and compatible with (almost) any scanner.
• Choose the barcode you want to generate. For example, you can choose the EAN of your product here. You can configure your barcode by setting the properties. You can set the height and width and configure whether your barcode should also be displayed with text.
• After generating, you can download your barcodes or print them or export them.

The barcode generator online is free of charge and you can also use the generated barcodes for commercial purposes.

How to  read/scan barcodes? 

Due to the linear optical reading of the laser beam, i.e. using a scanner, barcodes can be deciphered. Therefore, the identification is generated instantly and automatically, taking into account the price of the item as well as the stock data processing management.  

Due to the numbers below the barcode, certain information can be obtained without a barcode scanner, especially for consumers. The most popular barcodes are used by almost all consumer products in the world. As the name implies, the GTIN 13 code consists of 13 digits, each of which is important.

• The first 2 or 3 digits correspond to the country of manufacture of the product. For example, after a simple search on Google, you will easily find the country of origin. Some codes: 000 to 019 USA, 300 to 379 France, 690 to 699 China, 840 to 849 Spain, 893 Vietnam ...... However, keep in mind that these numbers correspond to the country/region where the company is a member of the GS1 system. Therefore, it does not have to be the assigned country of production, but it can be the country where the head office or one of its head offices is located.
• The following numbers correspond to the company prefixes assigned by GS1 
• The following corresponds to the reference (or part of the product code) assigned by the trademark owner
• Finally, the last digit is the control key that verifies that the barcode is indeed valid.
• More and more smartphone applications are being developed to allow consumers to scan and read the barcodes on packages. By scanning these barcodes from their phones, consumers can access additional product information.

The Yuka app, for example, rates the quality of food and cosmetics at 100 points. Consumers can simply download the app to their phone and scan the product's barcode to learn about its nutritional qualities: fiber content, salt, sugar, additives and more. avoidance or absence of danger, the number of calories, etc. 

Finally, barcodes are used first by companies to manage their productivity and inventory, and also by consumers, who can always check the composition of the products present in the trade. 

Where to place the barcode?

To understand how to print barcodes, you must look at your products. Do you want to place the code directly on the product, for example on a bottle? Or do you want to place the barcode on a label, for example on a textile?

Labels are a classic format that involves the classic printing of your barcode in a rectangular format with a bacode generator online. Depending on the shape and material of your product, you can still innovate and bet on ingenuity by offering segmented barcodes.

Barcodes in E-Commerce

After a long period of non-mandatory product catalogs in e-commerce, GTIN code declarations become crucial for online sales, either in your own e-commerce or marketplace. 

The GTIN code is the barcode on most products around the world, as we have just examined in this article. Depending on the world, this GTIN code can take on different names. For example, in France and Europe, it is the EAN code, while in North America, we will talk about the UPC. 

In e-commerce, especially in online marketplaces, it is essential to have products with a GTIN code, which allows you to gain visibility in these markets.

According to the GS1 organization, 0.35% of GTINs are incorrect. If some e-merchants ignore these codes, they can still have an impact on their activities. In fact, Google and Amazon require e-merchants to provide a GTIN code for every product in their catalogs. In addition, if products do not contain GTIN barcodes, Amazon and Google will downgrade the listing of those products. Conversely, the more information you provide about your product's GTIN code, the better your citation will be and the more likely your product will be seen and purchased by Internet users. In order for your products to appear in search results, they must have a GTIN as of May 16, 2016. 

Knowing that more than 90% of search traffic in France comes from Google and that 28% of Internet users search for products directly on Amazon is not an obligation to ignore, GTIN codes play a crucial role. According to Google itself, listings with GTIN codes have a 40% increase in click-through rates and 20% increase in sales. 

In addition, if you enter a product's GTIN code, the marketplace will provide you with information related to that product that exists in the marketplace. This can be photos, data sheets, customer reviews, etc. Therefore, you can save time by using existing high-quality photos and data sheets. In addition, by benefiting from the customer reviews associated with that product, you can reassure consumers and thus remove barriers to purchase. Finally, you have already started building an electronic reputation without a huge effort other than providing GTIN codes for your products. 

Thanks to your quality product catalog and customer reviews, the marketplace can offer your products in other sales systems. This is how your product will be offered to consumers as a complementary product, which will undoubtedly increase your sales.

Likewise, with GTIN GS1, you can export more easily because your product catalog will be recognized worldwide.