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Barcodes for Dummies Part 1
The world of barcodes can intimidate even the most sophisticated business owner. Barcoding technology is expanding and developing every day and it is tough to keep on top of it. At SA Barcodes, we are more than happy to assist you through the process of acquiring GS1 barcodes and learning how to implement t
hese barcodes in your business. We are here to answer all of your questions. You do not have to be daunted by the process of buying barcodes in South Africa. We aim to make the process as simple and uncomplicated as possible. This blog is here to answer all your questions about barcodes as well as to help you to understand them...
Barcode History around the World
When did barcodes start? Barcodes originated from the increasing need to create a system to manage retail operations in a more efficient manner. Retailers were getting bigger and bigger and stock control was becoming more and more difficult. Retailers around the world needed a system to make it simpler and to be able to attend to more customers on a daily basis. The initial request came from a retail store owner who was at his wits end and approached the Dean at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia who was not intrigued by the request and in 1952 Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver stepped up to the plate and developed the modern barcode. This answers the question of who invented the barcode system. They based their barcode on Morse code, using dots and lines. Woodland had his first inspiration for his first barcode from sand, while sitting on a beach in Miami he drew his fingers through the...6 things you need to know before barcoding your products
1. Where your barcode number comes from There are two ways to source barcode numbers for your products. The first is from GS1 – the official international provider of barcode numbers. Here you will be leasing your barcodes annually and will be required to pay an upfront registration fee as well. The alternative is to purchase your barcodes through a reputable reseller such as SA Barcodes. Barcode resellers have sourced their numbers directly from GS1 prior to law changes made in 2002 – which now enables them to resell barcodes at a once-off rate to clients. With a...
So, you’re out at one of your local markets ordering some boerewors rolls and chips when you suddenly realise you don’t have any cash on you. Market stalls don’t often have card machines at their disposal either. Now, you’ve got to be inconvenienced and rush over to the nearest ATM (which we know is not something that is not always accessible at a market) while your food gets cold…...Or do you? No, that is no longer a problem, with the Snapscan app. You just have to have your smart phone with you , which we know with the wprld today our smartphones are always on us.
This is a new mobile app on the block that’s revolutionising the way we pay for goods, from e commerce to markets to clothing boutiques and coffee stores. Since its launch in 2013, Snapscan...
It's competition time!Stand a chance to win a voucher worth R250 from either Spree, Takealot or Woolworths! To enter: caption the picture below with a phrase that you think describes what's happening in the picture. Use your imagination and post your answer in the blog comments section below. The more creative, funny and original your caption is, the better your chances of winning!
The winner will be chosen on Halloween - 31 October 2014.Good luck and happy captioning! Warm regards, The SA Barcodes Team
Update 31 October...
A common myth globally is that the origin of a product can be deciphered from the initial 2 or 3 digits of that product’s barcode; whether it be an EAN (13-Digit) or UPC (12-Digit) barcode format. But it isn’t as simple as that – read on to find out more… By Cat Robinson
This is of interest to consumers who wish to boycott items originating from a certain area for ethical reasons – such as toys made in China which may still contain lead paint and small parts which are potentially harmful to younger children; as well as the extremely low wages paid to workers as...
Many people, especially those not involved in the music industry, are unaware of what are called ISRC barcodes. And up until now, we at SA Barcodes weren’t necessarily aware of its existence either. The ISRC barcode is the International Standard Recording Code – performing as an identification system for sound and music video recordings.
The general rule of thumb is that each barcode number is unique, and the same applies for the ISRC. It identifies a specific recording, and each version of the recording gets assigned its own ISRC. The code gets burned into the recording. And once done, enables the user to track sales, radio station play and even physical venue play such as in clubs or bars. The code is also used by performance rights societies to track usage for paying...
Barcode Art – creative figures who are influenced by barcode images and symbologies
December 9, 2013
Bernard Solco's barcode art exhibition
As we know, barcodes are a useful in tracking inventory and monitoring our everyday retail products. Without them, errors in business would be frequent and many companies would blindly run at a loss each month. As useful and practical as these symbologies may be, creative figures have found ways to turn the mundane and practical into abstract and artistic. And you’d be surprise by the level of ingenuity involved.
American artist Scott Blake was renowned for his artwork collection which involved the reworking of, you guessed it, barcodes. Everyday pictures were recreated using thousands of tiny barcodes to reflect the image. Blake created over 30 portraits of pop culture icons using his barcode recreation methods – each in a way that...
Self-checkout barcode systems – do they work and can we expect to see them in South Africa?
September 12, 2013
Self-checkout scanners are something users seem either to love or to loathe. Basically they are a system eliminating the need for a human cashier to input a customer’s purchases and take payment, although one assistant per four checkout lanes is required to supervise. It is estimated that over 400 000 self-checkout units will be in use by 2014. Let’s see how they work, and why they sometimes don’t. By Cat Robinson
What is self-checkout?
Basically the system allows consumers to scan the barcodes on the items they wish to purchase themselves, and make payment via card or cash. The scanned items are then placed into the ‘bagging area’, which is essentially a set of...