| Implementing a bar coding system into your retail | | | | efficiently and very economically. Using a printer like |
| business can have a huge positive effect on your | | | | this is much more cost-effective than using a laser |
| bottom line. You can speed up checkout times, | | | | printer since you can print individual labels on a direct |
| inventory count and significantly improve the accuracy | | | | thermal printer and there is no need for toners. |
| of your inventory tracking. | | | | (2) A Scanner - The second thing you'll need is a bar |
| Your retail customers will love the shorter checkout | | | | code scanner. Scanners come in many different |
| lines with the faster product scanning at the till. Your | | | | styles, sizes and types. The simplest way to go is to |
| employees will love the fact that by scanning inventory | | | | go with a hand-held scanner with a scanning stand. |
| with a scanner they don't have to try to memorize | | | | This way the scanner can scan the code simply by |
| product codes and prices, which will not only increase | | | | placing the product code underneath the scanner, but |
| employee morale and retention, but will also virtually | | | | does also offer the clerk the flexibility of picking up the |
| eliminate all data entry errors. | | | | scanner from the scanning stand and scanning the |
| Inventory count will also be easier and more accurate | | | | item directly if needed. This is great for larger items |
| since employees can use portable inventory scanners | | | | that customers want to leave in the cart, or when it is |
| to do inventory count, instead of trying to match up | | | | difficult to position the product code underneath the |
| products with some kind of manual printout sheet. | | | | scanning stand. |
| More accurate inventory control can help your | | | | (3) A Bar Code Enabled Point of Sale Program - The |
| business compete in today's economy by being able to | | | | final thing you'll need is a point of sale program that |
| keep inventory moving. With a good quality point of | | | | supports both bar code printing and scanning. Not all |
| sale system with reporting functionality, you'll be able to | | | | point of sale software packages support this |
| see which items are selling and which items are not | | | | functionality so you'll need to find a quality point of sale |
| currently selling. This way you can make sure to keep | | | | program provider with software which supports |
| high turnover items in stock, while minimizing the | | | | printing and scanning natively within the program. |
| amount of inventory you have which doesn't sell. | | | | If your point of sale software doesn't support |
| Another benefit to more accurate inventory is that | | | | barcoding, trying to find workaround printing labels |
| your theft and shrinkage percentages will go down | | | | separately in some other software will be a massive |
| because inventory will be much more easily tracked | | | | waste of time. It is much better to start with the right |
| and more frequent inventory counts can be done by | | | | point of sale software package with support built right |
| using inventory scanners to speed up the process. | | | | in. Those are the three main components of a bar |
| There are just a few of the many benefits to using a | | | | coding system. Your best bet is to start with a point of |
| bar coding system in your retail business. | | | | sale software package that supports printing and |
| So what is needed to implement such a system? | | | | scanning of codes and then choosing a label printer |
| There are three main components: | | | | and scanner that is compatible with that software. |
| (1) A Label Printer - The first thing you'll need is a bar | | | | One of the most popular bar code printers on the |
| code label printer. The best and most efficient printers | | | | market is the Zebra LS 2844 bar code printer and one |
| on the market are direct thermal label printers. They | | | | of the most popular bar code scanners on the market |
| can print label stickers individually for each item quickly, | | | | is the Symbol LS2208 bar code scanner. |