Barcodes have become an essential part of many businesses’ product identification. Barcodes are symbols made up of combinations of vertical lines, sometimes with numbers or text, that machines can read. While not all products require a barcode, there are several reasons why having one is beneficial for both the seller and the customer.
Does My Product Need a Barcode?
No, your product does not need a barcode, and you can sell it without one on your website, for example. However, having a barcode to sell any physical product on marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay would be best.
The most obvious reason is that they provide an easy way to track inventory levels. As products come into stores, a barcode scanner can quickly scan the item’s information, so the store knows how much stock they have left and if they need to order more. This makes stocking shelves faster and more efficient. It also helps customers find what they’re looking for since in-store displays often show images with their corresponding barcodes, so shoppers don’t have to search through long lists of descriptions to find what they want.
Barcodes also make checkout processes smoother and quicker. Scanners can quickly read the necessary information from each item in seconds rather than manually entering it individually. This saves time for customers and cashiers alike, making shopping experiences faster and more pleasant for everyone involved.
For online retailers, barcodes become even more critical, as customers may not always know exactly what items are shown on screen when browsing through different options on a website. With a barcode scanner, retailers can accurately identify which items customers purchased without relying on descriptions alone. This helps ensure accuracy during the delivery process, as whatever was ordered online can be matched with its corresponding barcode when checking out at the store or delivered directly from warehouses.
As technology continues to evolve, so do barcodes. New versions offer additional features such as larger storage capacity, which allows users to store more data within them, and two-dimensional or 3D codes, further increasing accuracy and reliability across multiple platforms.
Since 2016, all major marketplaces have required sellers to have barcodes on their products. Therefore, barcodes, such as UPCs, FNSKUs, EANs, etc., are mandatory.
Whether you’re deciding whether to put your products on shelves or online, you should seriously consider whether or not you need a barcode due to its convenience and security benefits. Barcodes can help you and consumers save time while ensuring accuracy and reliability at every step of the way.
Please read our article about how to find out where an item was purchased by the barcode.
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