Barcode Online for Small Businesses: Affordable Solutions for Growth

Barcodes are machine-readable representations of data presented in either a linear or matrix format. Their use is indispensable in the supply chain as they facilitate flow of accurate information throughout a product’s journey till they reach the end-consumer. Their vast acceptance and usability in the global trade has made their adoption mandatory for every business owner involved in the sale of goods, Irrespective of the size. This blog will be a guide for small and micro business owners in understanding the benefits of barcodes and how they can acquire them at discounted rates. 

What is a Barcode?

Before we deep dive into the benefits and usability of barcodes in the industry, let’s decode the meaning of a barcode. While many of us may have come across a product barcode almost everyday in our lives, we often overlook them. Remember the last time your products were scanned at the retail store? This process was executed because of the presence of barcodes on the products you bought. Barcodes are the medium of connecting scanners, systems and product information to provide a faster shopping experience for you. Scanners read barcodes to interpret necessary product information like the MRP (Maximum Retail Price) and the name of the product in order to simplify checkout processes. 

The two types of barcodes used in the industry are covered below – 

1D Barcodes – Linear or one-dimensional (1D) barcodes are formed of black and white lines with spaces in between. They have a unique identification number, starting with ‘890’, written in black below them.  EAN (European Article Number) and UPC (Universal Product Code) are the two types of barcode numbering series that are followed across the globe. They encode a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) – a unique identification number for products. 

2D Barcodes – Two-dimensional (2D) barcode is simply a matrix composed of squares, dots and lines. In comparison to a 1D barcode, 2D can encode more information about a product. In addition, 2D can encode the URL to a product or website page for in-depth information access. QR code is one of the most common examples of a 2D barcode that can also be scanned through your mobile phone. 

2D barcodes can encode detailed information about a product including product’s unique identification number, manufacturing details, expiry date, nutritional information, etc. 

Benefits of Using Barcodes for Small Businesses

Barcodes play a critical role in connecting authentic information with different stakeholders throughout the supply chain journey of a product. They are data carriers that facilitate easy accessibility of information and foster transparency in the supply chain. Below listed are some more reasons to get barcodes for your small business – 

Unique Product Identification – Every product in the market is required to have a unique identification number or GTIN, as per government directives. This unique ID can only be encoded in a barcode, as it automates and speeds up the entire process. 

Global Trade –  With barcodes you will be eligible to sell your products in the international markets as well. Please note, only GS1 barcodes offer this interoperability, to register for GS1 barcodes you can contact GS1 India – the only authorised body to issue GS1 barcodes in India. 

Compliance with Global Trade Requirements – GS1 barcodes will ensure that your products sold in the international market comply with global trade regulations and meet the regulatory standards.

Faster Listing on E-marketplaces – Online marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart require product’s GTIN to access product information from a centralised and trusted repository. GTIN enables faster listing on these marketplaces and saves you from manual data entry. 

Improved Inventory Management – With barcodes you can streamline your inventory management and meet best practices of sustainability. With accessibility to manufacturing and expiry details, retailers can ensure they run discounts or coupons on near to expiry products in order to prevent over-stocking. 

Increased Customer Experience – Customers do not have to stand in long queues because of streamlined checkout processes with the integration of barcodes. This increases customer satisfaction and builds consumer trust and loyalty. 

Affordable Online Barcode Solutions 

For small or micro enterprises getting online barcodes can appear costly, more so because of getting registered for the first time. To promote business expansion for micro enterprises and support business owners like you in your journey of starting a business in India, there is a barcode reimbursement scheme. Under the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) Scheme launched by the Ministry of MSME, you can avail up to 80% reimbursement on the one-time registration fees and annual subscription fees of GS1 barcodes for 3 consecutive years. 

GS1 India is the only provider of GS1 barcodes in India and you can benefit from this scheme only if you get registered with GS1 India for barcodes. To get 80% reimbursement visit GS1 India’s ‘Register for Barcode’ page and follow the steps to get registered. Upon the completion of your registration process, fill the prescribed application form and submit the form along with supporting documents to your regional MSME director to claim reimbursement. The form can be collected from your region’s MSME director or can also be downloaded online. 

Supporting documents will include – 

• GS1 India’s barcode allotment letter 
• Invoice 
• Receipt

Conclusion

Barcodes carry equal importance in optmising processes of businesses, irrespective of their scale and size. Micro enterprises can also enjoy the same benefits that medium or large enterprises enjoy with barcodes. By applying under the MSME scheme, micro enterprises can also accelerate their journey to operational excellence and market visibility.