Barcodes have been a staple of grocery stores, food suppliers, shippers, and retailers for decades. However, with barcodes so ubiquitous across different industries, picking the right scanner at the right price point can be tough.
If you’re looking for a grocery store barcode scanner, we’re here to help.
In this article, we’ll break down:
Let’s jump in.
A barcode consists of a combination of rectangular bars and digits that, when scanned with a compatible reader, tell your point of sale (POS) system information about product brand, weight, and price.
Barcodes were invented by IBM and have been used in grocery stores since the mid-1970s, significantly improving checkout times by eliminating the need to manually key in products. Since then, they’ve become a staple in most retail stores in America and worldwide.
If you’re new to running a grocery store or haven’t upgraded your scanners in a while, here’s a quick rundown of the types of barcodes you’ll be dealing with:
There are more complicated codes (and scanners), but these are typically used more in warehouses and wholesale than retail. Generally speaking, you’ll only need to worry about these codes and other 1-dimensional (1D) barcodes.
In 2005, all retail scanners and POS systems were updated to accept UPC and EAN codes. Many times, systems will append an extra digit to the front UPCs to make them consistent with EAN codes.
Note: Since most retail barcode scanners are designed to read 1D barcodes, they cannot read QR codes, a type of 2D code.
This is why QR codes are best used for customer-facing signage to link them to things like signing up for your newsletter or blog, information about grocery store promotions, or recipes and cooking tips.
There are a few types of grocery store barcode scanners that differ in size, functionality, and purpose. Here’s a quick overview:
What scanners you use depends on your budget and the customer experience you want to create. Most grocery stores opt to have a mix of handheld scanners and scanner scales.
Related Read: How Much Do Electronic Shelf Labels Cost? (+4 Benefits of ESLs)
The good news about barcode scanners is that most are compatible with various POS systems.
If you sell produce and other variable-weight items, a scanner scale is the ideal solution to quickly and accurately price items.
If you don’t have the budget or space for a scanner scale, a counter-mounted barcode scanner allows cashiers to quickly scan barcodes.
It’s generally a good idea to also have a handheld barcode scanner handy, especially for bulkier items that are hard to scan on a scanner scale.
Mobile inventory scanners are most useful for inventory receiving and audits. There are mobile apps that will work with a smartphone or tablet camera, and standalone devices.
Arguably, the most critical technology in a grocery store will be its point of sale system. Beyond processing payments, a grocery store POS will determine how you:
In other words, you can’t consider your barcode scanners and other grocery store hardware in a vacuum. You need to understand:
For example, many grocers use embedded barcodes to price out variable-weight items at a deli or pre-packaged items (e.g., a package of chicken thighs at $4.99/lb). While most POS systems can read this code, only a few systems (including IT Retail) can use the embedded weight and/or price information to update the weight in inventory after a sale is made.
Long story short: When evaluating different POS providers, make sure to understand what is and isn’t possible with the hardware you have (or would like to use).
Navigating grocery store hardware can be intimidating, and many grocers end up underequipped in an attempt to save money or get advanced hardware they don’t need.
That’s why we recommend working with an experienced provider who will work with you to find the right combination of grocery store hardware for your needs.
At IT Retail, we have over 26 years of experience helping independent grocery stores, supermarkets, and food markets find the right software and hardware for their business. To learn more, schedule a demo with our knowledgeable grocery store experts today.