With mobile barcode scanning becoming more and more popular, I’ve received a lot of different questions regarding which barcodes and barcode scanners are best to use in combination with a promotional offer, mobile ticketing, or order confirmation application.

First, if you are running the offer, you need to decide on which symbology to use. 2D barcodes, specifically the PDF417 can store more information than standard 1D barcodes, allowing users to track customers by scan details for tickets and or order confirmations.

As far as the barcode scanner is concerned, there are many options available, but I recommend the Symbol DS9808 or Symbol DS6700.

Read the rest of this entry »

If you look around, no matter what the environment may be, chances are there’s at least one barcode nearby. They are on everything from computers, to food products, to driver’s licenses, and just about any manufactured good.

Barcodes add brand value because they help companies consistently deliver their brand expectations. Since technology plays a key role in how companies and brands market to customers, barcode technology can play a vital role in customer preference, differentiating a company from its competitors by dramatically improving customer service and satisfaction level. This becomes crucial since barcodes eliminate slow, costly manual errors and help companies to streamline.

Since barcodes are ever increasing in usage, costs of barcodes have dramatically decreased since early implementations. Today, most small and medium sized business can easily afford barcode solutions that help manage inventory levels, accurately capture customer information, improve invoicing, track assets, and monitor things in real time.

Barcode technology can also enable organizations to rapidly gain valuable customer insights since data can be captured and analyzed to identify trends, reveal customer behaviors, and measure the effectiveness of sales and marketing activities. In addition to traditional 1D barcodes, 2D barcodes are particularly great tools for tracking marketing campaigns and activity.

Barcodes also help to protect a brand. The International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) has found that in the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in counterfeit automotive parts and medicine. Barcode technology is fighting against counterfeit drugs and parts with the use of 2D barcodes that are applied directly to the drug packaging by the manufacturer. The packaging can then be easily checked and verified at every point throughout the supply chain, making counterfeiting virtually impossible.

Barcodes not only help to differentiate brands in the marketplace, but also ensure improve accuracy in business. As barcode technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see other uses for them in the future.

Based loosely on a Datalogic White Paper

With all of the data capture solutions on the market today, choosing a barcode scanner may seem overwhelming. However, after analyzing all of your needs, making the right choice should come easily.

It’s important to analyze both the requirements of your business and what your budget allows. Firs and foremost, ask yourself, “what barcode symbology will I need to be scanning?” While laser scanners are a cost-effective option, they aren’t able to scan 2D barcodes (aside from the PDF-417, a 2D-like symbology), which digital imagers can. With the use of 2D barcodes on the rise, it may be wise to invest in a digital imager so that it will better accommodate future progressions in technology. However, there are many advantages to laser scanners, including:

• Long distance decoding
• Cost effectiveness
• Scanning applications requiring motion tolerance

On the other hand, digital imagers can decode 2D barcodes, which can be encoded with a significantly greater amount of information than their 1D counterparts. In addition, imagers allow for omni-direction barcode reading, eliminating the need to accommodate the scanning device. Area imagers can even read Direct Part Marking (DPM), a method of permanently marking a product, allowing the product to be tracked throughout its life. Area imagers should be used in the following applications.

• Decoding 1D and 2D barcodes
• Reading DPM
• Scanning critical tracking information
• Capturing images for inventory management
• Combining barcode reading, image capture, and signature capture into one device

For more information on laser scanners and digital imagers, you can learn more here.

The Pharmacode barcode is used in the pharmaceutical industry as part of their packing control system and is specially designed to be read, despite any printing errors. In order to ensure that the remainder of the packaging is correctly printing, the Pharmacode may also be printed in multiple colors.

Unlike other 1D barcodes, the Pharmacode does not store data in human-readable digits, but rather, the number is encoded in binary rather than decimal. In addition, Pharmacode can only represent single integers from 3 to 131070. Because of this, the minimum number of bars is 2 and the maximum is 16, so the smallest number that could be encoded, 3, would have two narrow bars, and the largest, 131070, would consist of 16 wide bars. It is also read from right to left, making the Pharmacode a very unique and industry specific barcode.

Barcode Scanners can be hand-held or stationary and are used for capturing data stored in barcodes. A barcode scanner consists of a code reader and a decoder. These devices are connected to a computer through compatible ports.

The earliest form of barcode scanners contained a fixed light and one photo-sensor, but modern barcode scanners are much more advanced, having polygonal mirrors that use laser technology.

Barcode scanner are available in a variety of forms such as:

• LED Scanner: Often referred to as a CCD scanners, they are most commonly used in point of sale applications, with an average scan rate of 45 scans per second.
• PDA Scanner: Features a wireless portable data assistant (PDA) with a built-in barcode reader.
• Imager Scanner: Captures image of linear barcodes and can be used in slightly more rugged applications because they have no moving parts
• Fixed Position Scanner: Commonly used in the manufacturing industry as apart of the conveyer line
• Pen/Wand Scanner: A small, pen-like barcode scanner that can be swiped to read barcodes
• 2D Imaging Scanner: A small camera is used to capture the barcode image, which is then decoded by the reader using advanced digital image processing
• Handheld Scanner: Has a handle and trigger button that can be used to switch light source
• Stationary Scanner: Commonly used in supermarkets, these wall or table-mounted scanners decode the barcode when it passes under or beside
• Laser Scanner: Use a laser beam as a light source and either a reciprocating mirror or a rotating prism to scan the laser beam across the bar code.

The advent of barcode scanners has greatly increased the speed of data capture and processing and has become a key component in almost every facet of business. Barcode scanning allows for organizing inventory, monitoring goods, and ensuring security and has helped businesses streamline their workflow. Because of this, choosing the right barcode scanner for your business is essential.

Ask yourself the following questions before purchasing a barcode scanner:

• What environment will the barcodes need to be scanned?
• Will you need a portable barcode scanner?
• Which barcode symbology do you plan to use?
• What will the average scanning range be?

After considering the above, be sure to choose a reliable company that provides a scanner that meets all your needs. I personally recommend Symbol/Motorola barcode scanners, Datalogic barcode scanners, and Intermec barcode scanners. However, keep in mind that many times you cannot buy direct from a manufacturer. For more information on barcode scanners and how to purchase them, check out a value added reseller.