Barcode

WHAT IS BARCODE?

A barcode (sometimes seen as two words, bar code) is the small image of lines (bars) and spaces that is affixed to retail store items, identification cards and postal mail to identify a particular product number, person or location.

The code uses a sequence of vertical bars and spaces to represent numbers and other symbols. A Barcode symbol typically consists of five parts: a quiet zone, a start character, data characters (including an optional check character), a stop character and another quiet zone.

HOW BARCODES WORK?

The barcode is simply an image. To become meaningful, a barcode reader, or scanner, must decode it. The reader uses a laser beam that is sensitive to the reflections from the line and space thickness and variation. The reader translates the reflected light into digital data that is transferred to a computer for immediate action or storage.

Readers may be attached to a computer, as they often are in retail store settings, or separate and portable, in which case they store the data they read until it can be fed into a computer.

Here are common uses for barcodes:

• By supermarkets and retailers to track items sold and inventory
• By libraries to identify and track borrowed books
• By manufacturers and shippers to track product movements
• By employers to verify and track employee working hours
• By hospitals to identify patients
• By marketers to tabulate the results of direct mail marketing returns
• By researchers to track honeybees (using tiny barcodes)

BARCODE STANDARDS

There is no one standard barcode. Instead, there are several different barcode standards called symbologies that serve different uses, industries, or geographic needs.

Since 1973, the Uniform Product Code (UPC), regulated by the Uniform Code Council, an industry organization, has provided a standard barcode used by most retail stores. The European Article Numbering system (EAN), developed by Joe Woodland, the inventor of the first barcode system, allows for an extra pair of digits and is becoming widely used. POSTNET is the standard barcode used in the United States for ZIP codes in bulk mailing.

The following table summarizes the most common barcode standards.

Barcode standard	Uses
Uniform Product Code (UPC)	Retail stores for sales checkout; inventory, etc.
Code 39 (Code 3 of 9)	Identification, inventory and tracking shipments
POSTNET	Encoding zip codes on U.S. mail
European Article Number (EAN)	A superset of the UPC that allows extra digits for country identification
Japanese Article Number (JAN)	Similar to the EAN, used in Japan
Bookland	Based on ISBN numbers and used on book covers
ISSN barcode	Based on ISSN numbers, used on periodicals outside the U.S.
Code 128	Used in preference to Code 39 because it is more compact
Interleaved 2 of 5	Used in the shipping and warehouse industries
Codabar	Used by Federal Express, in libraries, and blood banks
MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition)	A special font used for the numbers on the bottom of bank checks
OCR-A	The optical character recognition format used on book covers for the human readable version of the ISBN number
OCR-B	Used for the human readable version of the UPC, EAN, JAN, Bookland, and ISSN barcodes and for optional human-readable digits with Code 39 and Interleaved 2 of 5 symbols
Maxicode	Used by the United Parcel Service
PDF417	A 2D type of barcode that can encode up to 1108 bytes of information; can become a compressed, portable data file (which is what the "PDF" stands for)

 

HOW DO I GET A BARCODE FOR MY PRODUCT?

There are two main ways to get a barcode for your product:

1. Apply for a UPC through the GS1.
2. Generate a barcode with internal tools (note that this barcode should not be used outside of your warehouse).

Applying for a UPC through the GS1 is the most professional way to get a barcode for your product. The GS1 is a global organization that provides standards for barcodes and other identification numbers.

Generating a barcode with internal tools is less professional but can be done for free. This barcode should only be used within your warehouse as it is not unique.

When in doubt, we recommend applying for a UPC through the GS1.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BARCODES?

The different application requires different barcodes with the capability to hold different data. Therefore, to diverse requirements, GS1 sets standards for use with different types of barcode symbols. GS1 barcodes can be categorized into the following categories:

GS1 EAN/UPC Family Barcodes

GS1 EAN/UPC Family of barcodes are instantly-recognisable barcodes that are printed on virtually every consumer product in the world. They are the longest-established and most widely-used of all GS1 barcodes.

GS1 DataBar Family Barcodes

DataBar barcodes are often used to label fresh foods. These barcodes can hold information like an item’s batch number or expiry date, in addition to other attributes used at the point-of-sale such the item weight.

GS1 1D Barcodes

GS1-128 and ITF-14 are highly versatile 1D barcodes that enable items to track through global supply chains. The GS1-128 barcode can carry any of the GS1 ID keys, plus information like serial numbers, expiration dates and more. The ITF-14 barcode can only hold the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and is suitable for printing on corrugated materials.

GS1 2D Barcodes

Two-dimensional (2D) barcodes look like squares or rectangles that contain many small, individual dots. A single 2D barcode can hold a significant amount of information and may remain legible even when printed at a small size or etched onto a product. A wide range of industries2D barcodes, from manufacturing and warehousing to logistics and healthcare.

DOCUMENTS FOR BARCODE REGISTRATION

• Letter requesting allotment of barcode
• PAN card of the entity
• Copy of audited balance sheet
• GST/VAT registration certificate
• Certificate of incorporation/partnership deed
• Memorandum of Association/Articles of Association
• Copy of cancelled cheque

FEES FOR BARCODE REGISTRATION

The fees for barcode registration is dependent on the following:

• Turnover of the company
• Number of barcodes required
• Subscription period

Depending on all these factors, the fees vary from around Rs. 44,000 to Rs. 2,20,000.

HOW TO PRINT BARCODE ON PRODUCTS?

Once you’ve generated your barcodes, you need to print them. You can print barcodes on labels, tags, or cards using a regular printer.

However, if you plan on printing a large number of barcodes, we recommend investing in a thermal transfer printer. Thermal transfer printers are designed specifically for printing barcodes and labels.

Barcode printers are specialized machines that are designed specifically for printing barcodes. They are more expensive than regular printers, but they offer the advantage of being able to print barcodes directly onto products.

Regular printers can also be used to print barcodes, but you’ll need to purchase labels or tags specifically for that purpose.

If you don’t have a thermal transfer printer, you can also use an online printing service, such as Moo or Vistaprint.

BENEFITS OF BARCODE

1. Barcodes eliminate the possibility of human error. The occurrence of errors for manually entered data is significantly higher than that of barcodes. A barcode scan is fast and reliable, and takes infinitely less time than entering data by hand.
2. Using a barcode system reduces employee training time. It takes only minutes to master the hand-held scanner for reading barcodes. Furthermore, employees do not have to gain familiarity with an entire inventory or pricing procedure. This also makes employee training less expensive, since they do not have to be paid for extra training time, and another employee does not have to be compensated for training them.
3. Barcodes are inexpensive to design and print. Generally they cost mere pennies, regardless of their purpose, or where they will be affixed. They can be customized economically, in a variety of finishes and materials.
4. Barcodes are extremely versatile. They can be used for any kind of necessary data collection. This could include pricing or inventory information. Additionally, because barcodes can be attached to just about any surface, they can be used to track not only the products themselves, but also outgoing shipments and even equipment.
5. Inventory control improves. Because barcodes make it possible to track inventory so precisely, inventory levels can be reduced. This translates into a lower overheard. The location of equipment can also be tracked, reducing the time spent searching for it, and the money spent replacing equipment that is presumed lost.
6. Barcodes provide better data. Since one barcode can be used for inventory and pricing information, it is possible to quickly obtain data on both. Furthermore, barcodes can be customized to contain other relevant information as needed. They provide fast, reliable data for a wide variety of applications.
7. Data obtained through barcodes is available rapidly. Since the information is scanned directly into the central computer, it is ready almost instantaneously. This quick turnaround ensures that time will not be wasted on data entry or retrieval.
8. Barcodes promote better decision making. Because data is obtained rapidly and accurately, it is possible to make more informed decisions. Better decision making ultimately saves both time and money.

ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

Any individual or organisation can apply for a trademark to protect their product or service. The application must be filed mentioning the trademark, name and address of the applicant, the agent, and a power of attorney. The following entities in India are applicable to do a trademark registration

1. JOINT OWNERS

The Joint owners of a company can file for a trademark, and both their names must be mentioned in the application.

1. PROPRIETORSHIP FIRM

A proprietorship company could file a trademark application under its proprietor's name but not the business and proprietorship names. If you include proprietorship and business names in your application, those details will be considered separately.

1. PARTNERSHIP FIRM

Governed by the Indian Partnership Act, a partnership firm is formed when two or more individuals run a business together as partners to gain profits which are equally shared or as mentioned in their agreements.

1. LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP OR LLP

As LLP companies are incorporated on their own identities, this type of company can file for trademark registration under the respective LLP’s name. However, the partners themselves cannot be applicants.

1. INDIAN COMPANY

For any Indian company, whether private limited or limited or any other type, the trademark application has to be made in the company’s name. It is to be noted that any incorporated entity has its own identity, due to which a company director cannot be a trademark applicant.

1. SOCIETY OR TRUST

Organization’s created with the aim of social service rather than profits fall under trust or society. It is called a Trust if it is formed based on a legal agreement in which a beneficiary holds the property and nominates trustees to control the assets and operations.

An organization can be registered as a Society if more persons come together to fulfil a particular purpose. Both Trust and Society can do trademark registration, provided it is done on behalf of the trust or society.

1. AN INDIVIDUAL OR A PERSON

Any individual who wants to register their unique words or symbols is eligible to file for trademark registration under their own name. However, it is not necessary that they have to do business.

PROCESS FOR OBTAINING BARCODE REGISTRATION

The process for Barcode Registration is completely online. In India, the authority for registering Barcodes is GS1 India. The registration application can be made online on their website – https://www.gs1india.org.

The steps involved are:

      Step 1 – Fill the application

      Step 2 – Upload all the relevant documents

      Step 3 – Choose the type and number of barcodes required

      Step 4 – Confirm all the details

      Step 5- Pay the applicable fees

      Step 6- Track the status

HOW MUCH TIME IT’S TAKE TO GET BARCODE?

The registration process usually takes 7-10 working days after submitting the registration form and necessary documents, along with fee payment. Only brand owners can apply for barcode numbers.

FAQ