On the episode of Ellen’s Games of Game last night, she asked a question about what is the first product to be have a barcode? Good question!

In the summer of 1974, a supermarket located in Troy, Ohio, scanned it’s very first UPC barcoded product, Wrigley’s Chewing Gum. A barcode that can be printed on something as small as a pack of chewing gum. This develops a long interesting history that is constantly evolving; we are still discovering ways to put more information into these machine read-able barcodes.

Present day, we have QR codes to store large amounts of information that can be unlocked and scanned through smart phones. Further, RFID technology allows there to be a chip embedded within a barcode and with single motion, a reader can read and record its presence.

Big company such as Amazon relies heavily on barcodes to keep track of their products by scanning them when its at a packaging point. With the help of a barcoding system the whole supply chain can be managed efficiently and workers can be more productive. A simple scan can avoid human error, save more time, and be able to trace products going in and out of your facility.

Barcodes are truly fascinating, it created a whole new way to track your products and do business efficiently. Find out how to barcode your products today! Contact us at Barcodes and we will help you find a solution that best fits your needs.

Ever worked as a check-out clerk in a grocery store?

Disney’s Checkout Challenge for Windows mobile devices captures the experience in a very convincing way. In this fast paced game you collect groceries and scan them in as quickly and accurately as possible for the highest score. Start training to improve your barcode scanning skills to become Checkout Chairman!

The app is currently available through the Windows Phone Store.