We see it everyday. Millions of retailers are using bar codes and scanners to check out customers and enter inventory. Even small stores find that bar coding is practical because it speeds up checkout, tracks stock, and assures pricing accuracy.Unfortunately, not everyone uses bar coding technology properly. And they don't reap as many benefits as they could.
Utilizing bar codes with your POS software will allow you to...
- Serve customers faster and improve service by quickly scanning bar codes at
point of sale (POS) instead of typing a SKU.
- Reduce pricing and inventory errors. Scanning bar codes at POS is much more accurate than typing a SKU. The typical error rate for human data entry is 1 error per 300 characters. Barcode scanners can be as good as 1 error in 36 trillion characters depending on type of barcode used.
- Save time and improve efficiency. If all your merchandise is bar coded you can save time by checking out customers faster, instantly implementing mark downs and eliminating problem of price tag switching.
- Quickly count your inventory at any time. If you purchase a PDT (portable data terminal) you can count and enter your inventory by scanning each item with a PDT. The PDT will store your inventory count so you can quickly upload it into your POS software.
- Reduce costs. If you have UPCs on your merchandise then you don't have to put price tag on product itself, which saves time and reduces handling costs.
- Improve accuracy of your inventory. One of biggest cost savings and benefits is maintaining a more accurate inventory. Bar coding reduces errors at receiving and at point of sale so your inventory stays accurate.
HOW IT WORKS
First of all, a bar code is a series of narrow and wide lines printed on a label or tag. Each bar on label represents a character for a "bar code reader" to interpret.
You can scan bar code with a bar code reader which uses a photosensor to convert bar code into an electrical signal as it moves across bars. The scanner then measures relative widths of bars and spaces, translates different patterns back into regular characters, and sends them on to a computer or portable terminal.
Most bar codes look similar but they can have different symbologies or standards. The symbology defines width of bars and technical details of a particular type of barcode.
For example, UPC (Universal Product Code) is seen on almost all retail products in USA and Canada. And EAN-13 is a common code used on European retail products. Your bar code reader and inventory software will need to be setup properly to read "symbology" that you use.
