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What is a UPC barcode? And how does it work? Universal Product Codes (also known as GTIN-12) appear as lines (bars) of varying widths representing the series of numbers commonly shown below the bars. Barcode scanners, as you will know them from your favorite retailers, read the bars and convert them back to the 12-digit UPC number that they represent. This number is then looked up within the retailer's inventory system to find the corresponding product name and price that you provided them with when you signed your agreement for them to carry your product. In short, the UPC is a 12-digit unique code for your product represented by scannable bars. So, how do UPC codes work? How does information get associated with my barcode symbol?
How many UPC codes do I need? In order for your retailer to properly identify your products in their inventory system, a different UPC barcode is required for each product. For example, if you are selling two flavors of bottled water in small, medium, and large, then you will need six different UPC codes. Simply Barcodes offers special discounts on bulk orders. Please call for details. Do you require a tax identification number/social security number? No, companies are not required to supply a tax ID number and individuals are not required to supply a social security number. Do you offer a discount for charitable organizations? Definitely. If your company is a US based 501(c)3 organization you automatically qualify for a substantial discount on our UPC codes through our Raising the Bar charity program. Charities outside of the US and Canada please contact us for details regarding discounts on our EAN codes. Many well-known charities have used our UPC codes in their fundraising campaigns such as point of sale donation cards, tear-offs, coupons and such at various retailers as well as flyers at charity events. Using barcodes significantly streamlines donations, awareness building, and communicating with prospective and existing donors. To see some of our clients and their testimonials click here. Please call us at 1-404-885-6066 to discuss your needs and the exact benefits of this exclusive Raising the Bar program. How do I purchase from Simply Barcodes? We offer several purchase options:
What happens after I complete my purchase?
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In what format do I receive my barcodes? You will receive two emails from Simply Barcodes. The first email is your receipt and purchase confirmation for your barcode purchase. Later in the day, you will receive a second email to which your barcode graphics are attached. For your convenience, we include your barcode graphic in three different formats so that your graphic artist, printing company, or manufacturing facility can work with your barcode graphic no matter what software system they use:
When do I receive my UPC code? The turn-around time is often within an hour. On rare occasions it may take our team long as one business day. If you require RUSH completion, please call 877-768-4977 (toll-free) or +1-404-885-6066 (international) to make arrangements. How can I get help with putting my UPC code on my product? If you would like to order pre-printed barcode labels, please click label printing. All orders received before 2 p.m. EST on business days are completed the same day and shipped for free within the continental U.S. Can I print my labels in black and white? Barcodes do not have to be printed in black and white. For more information on the subject visit this great color guide. What dimensions should my UPC code be? If you are having the UPC code printed directly on your product, here is some helpful information: The nominal size of a UPC symbol is 1.469" wide x 1.02" high. The minimum recommended size is 80% of the nominal size or 1.175" wide. The maximum recommended size is 200% of the nominal size or 2.938" wide. Width is much more important than height. The width influences the distance between the bars and how well the laser can distinguish between them. Simply Barcodes strongly recommends test-scanning any UPC code prototype produced by your manufacturing facility before going into mass production. (Please note that all of Simply Barcodes' pre-printed barcode label orders are test-scanned and confirmed scannable by our equipment. Click here to learn more about our label printing service.) My business is outside of the US, can I still purchase from Simply Barcodes? Yes, you can purchase your UPC or EAN barcodes from Simply Barcodes. If your product will be sold in the North American market then Simply Barcodes recommends that you purchase UPC barcodes. If you plan to sell only outside of North America then you may want to consider purchasing EAN barcodes through our EAN website. What are EAN barcodes? Do I really need one? The EAN barcode system is used outside of the United States and Canada. EAN barcodes look similar to UPC codes but are 13 digits long. An EAN barcode (also known as GTIN-13) is just another retail product barcode. It works much like the UPC barcode. For companies sending goods to the USA and Canada: We recommend that you use UPC codes. As of Jan 2005, all American retailers were scheduled to adjust their systems to be able to read the additional 13th digit in EAN barcodes. However, we cannot confirm that all retailers have complied with this changeover. Therefore, we recommend using UPC instead of EAN barcodes for the North American market to insure universal compatibility. |
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For companies exporting goods to countries outside of North America: In the past, we explained that the UPC code is 12 digits long and can be read both by UPC and by EAN scanners since the EAN system is set to accept UP TO 13 digits. Therefore, the UPC barcode is ideal for worldwide product roll-out since they can be read universally. Recent developments, however, have caused us to change our recommendation. We now suggest that you do use an EAN barcode on those export goods. Even though the EAN system has the technical ability to read UPC codes, we have received an increasing number of reports lately that retailers in Europe and Asia are requesting that goods delivered to them feature an EAN barcode. You may purchase EAN codes from us here: www.OfficialEANcode.com. Why should I purchase UPC codes from Simply Barcodes instead of getting them from the GS1 (formerly known as UCC) directly? The seven main differentiators between our company and GS1 are:
I am still not sure, is there an outside source where I can check to see that Simply Barcodes is legitimate? Simply Barcodes is a BBB Accredited Business and was awarded an A+ rating by the Atlanta chapter of the Better Business Bureau. Another reference that we can offer are the barcode experts. GEORGE J. LAURER, the inventor of UPC barcode, once highlighted Simply Barcode on his website as "The best company I have found to date." Industry expert Russ Adams also noted Simply Barcodes on his website. The best references, however, we can offer you are our customers. Please read our many client testimonials. Google any of these companies, ask for the person listed under the testimonial, and have him or her share with you the actual experience that they have had with Simply Barcodes. I need to speak with someone who can help me? Our customer service team is available to take your call, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday at +1-404-885-6066 (international) or 877-768-4977 (toll-free). |
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