How do barcodes work?

We see barcodes on products every day, but often times they’re disregarded as something that’s always been there. However,the first UPC barcode was only used and scanned in 1973 and these types of barcodes still exist today. But, exactly how do barcodes work?

Barcodes are affixed to retail products which are then scanned as the product is purchased by a customer. This makes tracking inventory and checking out a simple, fast and faultless process. Without barcodes, keeping track of products and their process would be a long and manual process. With the invention of barcodes and barcode scanner, and the advance in technology, humans do not need to perform these tasks by hand – resulting in much fewer errors made and more money saved.

Each barcode is unique and consists of black lines of varying widths on a white surface (machine readable) and the number underneath (human readable). These lines represent a code symbology, and the code holds data and information about the product it’s attached to. When the barcode is scanned, the barcode scanner and the laser inside of it reads the barcode and the information it contains. This information is then transferred to the computer where it is recorded and used to track inventory and record the price of the product that the customer will need to pay. If for some reason the barcode label is unable to be scanned, the barcode number underneath can still be typed into the computer system manually by the cashier.

Two-dimensional barcodes on the other hand, such as QR codes, do not have a number system underneath them. These barcodes are however, still scanned. Only they can be scanned with smart phones and can then take the user to the URL encoded in its data. QR codes are more often used for the marketing and advertising of a product than for purchasing and tracking inventory.

If of course you have any further enquiries about anything related to barcodes, contact SA Barcodes and we will be happy to answer any questions you have and assist in any way we can.

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