We can supply barcode images in various encoding formats
We can create barcodes in many different encoding formats:
- Formats suitable for retail products and books/magazines (EAN13, UPC-A, EAN8)
- Formats that are useful for cartons (ITF-14 barcodes)
- Formats that are useful for tracking pallets or shipping containers
- Formats that are used for stock tracking and inventory purposes (e.g. for library books or asset labeling)
- Formats that are 2-dimensional such as QR codes, and contain information or links to website URLs
Barcodes for Retail Products
Three types of retail barcodes are used on retail products to help retailers in scanning at the checkout, stock tracking etc: EAN-13, UPC, and EAN-8.
EAN-13:
13-digit globally unique barcodes used in most countries outside the USA and Canada, for use on products worldwide.
NOTE: some retailers have software systems that don’t like numbers with a leading 0, so they will prefer to use your barcode in the 12-digit format (e.g. 799439112766 ). This is OK as the number is still the same and still unique. You can let the retailer work out which version of your barcode number they will use.
UPC (also called UPC-A):
12-digit globally unique barcodes, commonly used in the USA and Canada, but can be used on products worldwide.
NOTE: Our EAN-13 and UPC barcode numbers can be used for any retail product except books and magazines, which have specific requirements:
– Books require an ISBN number, which is turned into an ISBN barcode in EAN-13 format.
– Magazines require an ISSN number, which is turned into an ISSN barcode in EAN-13 format.
UPC-A Barcodes are effectively a subset of EAN-13 Barcodes. If the first digit on the EAN-13 number is a ‘0’, then the bars will be of both the EAN-13 and the UPC-A (without the leading ‘0’) will be identical.
The displacement of the human readable numbers below differs between the UPC-A and EAN-13 barcodes however, and this is the biggest difference.
Both barcodes can easily be scanned by most scanners.
EAN-8:
This is a smaller globally unique barcode intended for VERY SMALL products.
It is difficult to obtain and only available from a membership organisation that licenses barcodes for an annual fee. To obtain these you need to submit proof that your product is very small, and wait for approval.
EAN-8 barcodes are only 8 digits long so there is a limited number of them.
Barcodes for Cartons
Barcodes can be used for cartons containing retail products. These cartons are used for shipping and storage.
ITF-14 are the common barcodes for cartons.
These are 14 digit numbers based on the barcode number of the retail product inside the carton.
These are ONLY for cartons for shipping and storage. If the carton is being sold at retail level, it should have a retail barcode on it (EAN-13 or UPC) rather than an ITF-14 barcode. For example, a case of wine can be bought as a single unit by a customer so would need a retail barcode (EAN-13 or UPC).
These barcodes are larger in size than retail barcodes, and should have a heavy horizontal line top and bottom.
For more information see also: ITF-14 barcodes
QR Codes
Acronym: QR = Quick Response
You still need barcodes!
QR codes cannot replace barcodes on retail products.
Each product also needs a retail barcode that can be scanned for pricing and details at the checkout.
QR code functionality:
They can probably best be understood as “print-based hyperlinks” that bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds when read by scanners or mobile phones with scanning apps.
Each code is encoded with a URL. If your mobile phone or tablet has a code scanner installed, when you can scan the code, the phone opens the correct application to handle the encoded data appropriately (for example, to view the content at the URL).
Logistics barcodes for pallets or shipping containers
Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC):
This is an 18-digit number used to identify logistics units.
It is based on a UPC (or EAN or ITF14) number.
A unique SSCC code is usually needed for each shipping pallet:
For example:
- Product A (with one UPC number) is on two pallets,
- …and each pallet has 48 units of Product A,
- …then two SSCC codes are usually required for that one Product A UPC number.
Ordering SSCC Codes from IBN:
- You need to purchase the correct quantity of general barcode images from our website.
For example, if you need 5 x SSCCs, youneed to purchase 5 x general barcode images - Once purchased, please send us the following information:
– The UPC numbers,
– How many SSCCs are needed against each UPC number. - We will create the barcode images and email them to you in 5 formats (JPEG, EPS, TIFF, BMP and PDF).
More information on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_shipping_container_code