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Isn’t a Barcode…Well…Just a Barcode? Sadly, Not Even Close.

The very first time someone asked if I knew what a barcode was I simply laughed and said “of course.” Little did I know I was going to get a life lesson schooling me on the ins and outs of the complexities of all the different barcodes. It turned out that there are so many different components that go into a barcode including different types, colors, and densities just to name a few. And they are just like technology…ever changing! However, it was really interesting finding out all the amazing things a “simple” little barcode can do.

Actually, they really are not that scary at all. But you will need some basic knowledge to understand what works best with your business. If you are printing distribution labels and tags, and you are using scanning equipment, you will want to decide which ones work with your software system. You may even want to do a different type of barcode for your marketing efforts.  There are so many out there including 1D, 2D, and now 3D and even 4D barcodes in the works.  Here are some examples of common 1 and 2D barcodes:

1D (One-Dimensional) Barcodes Examples:

UPC Barcodes
Code 39
Code 128
ITF
Codarbar

2D (Two-Dimensional) Barcodes:

QR Code
PDF417
Maxicode
Datamatrix


Doing a little research online for the basics is a tremendous help. Or just speaking to a knowledgeable person in the printing industry is probably even better. They will have the expertise to guide you to the correct barcode for your needs, which could be multiple types depending on your business needs. Play with online generators, take a look around, and talk to a few people. Barcodes should be fun and not intimidating .