PCA is a commercial printing services company that was looking for a barcode scanner to read 2D QR codes in order to print marketing flyers on demand for their customers. In addition to requiring an imager barcode scanner PCA wanted to allow their users to scan a barcode and go to the next field within their software application, rather than having an employee manually hit enter on a keyboard.

Barcodes, Inc. recommended the AirTrack S2 as their go-to barcode scanner. Not only was the S2 reasonably priced, but its performance was exactly what PCA needed. Furthermore, Barcodes, Inc. ensured the barcode scanner was programmed with a carriage return prior to shipping, which eliminated the need for PCA users to hit the enter button after every scan. PCA’s productivity skyrocketed by printing quicker and wasting less of their employees’ time.

For more information about the AirTrack S2 or Barcodes, Inc.’s professional services contact one of our representatives.

Mobile coupon popularity is growing rapidly in the retail sector. One analyst firm, solely focused on mobile, predicts that mobile coupons redeemed will almost double between 2014 and 2019 to more than 31 billion.

Initially, the move to incorporate mobile coupons into the mix of discounts available to consumers was driven by retailers wanting to provide a unique and improved consumer experience. In addition, a handful of retailers were looking for a solution that would limit their coupon liability exposure through the use of one-time-use mobile coupons. Today, a majority of retailers are interested in the ROI of implementing a mobile coupon solution as mobile coupon use is becoming increasingly popular with consumers. This is also driving the adoption of area-imaging (2D) scanners capable of reading QR codes and other coupons directly off the screen of customers’ mobile devices.

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Traditional laser scanners read linear bar codes at the point-of-sale—a technology that greatly simplified checkout. But today’s highly developed area-imaging scanners enable greater capability and flexibility, putting far more productivity into the hands of retail employees and allowing for revenue-generating mobile marketing initiatives.

With these advantages, it’s no wonder VDC’s 2013 Report forecasts area-imaging scanners sales to grow at a rate of 13.4% for the next three years, compared to the expected 7.3% decline for laser-based scanners over the time period. Imaging technology is firmly established as a cost-effective, durable, technologically capable alternative to laser-based systems. Plus, imagers are capable of supporting retailer’s mobile marketing programs, capturing mobile coupons right off customers’ smartphone screens or automatically collecting their information from ID cards for loyalty program auto-enrollment. Continue reading »

The Aomori prefectural government and local apple farmers plan to introduce a barcode system that will allow customers to check the history of each apple they buy. The move was prompted by growing calls for safer food, particularly in foreign countries.

Aomori Prefecture, a prime apple growing area in northern Japan, is seeking to expand the export of its apples to foreign markets. The new system will use the very common QR Code, a two-dimensional barcode. QR codes can be read by mobile phones, giving the customer information on where the apple came from and how it was cared for, such as how often pesticides were used, and even providing a photo and message from the farmer who grew the fruit. The data will be available in Japanese, Chinese and English.

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QR Codes can be found is some very unexpected places due to their versatility and small size. As you can see here, even delicious sweets find a great use for a QR Code. Being able to store a fair amount of data in a small space makes the QR Code and excellent option for small product labeling.

For assistance determining the best barcode for your needs, contact us at Barcodes Inc.

The many uses of QR Codes never ceases to amaze and you’d never think it could be used to act like turntable!

Record label Kontor was aiming to promote one of their artists and wanted to avoid the usual CD/USB drive/MP3 route as these promos usually end up in he trash bin and never get listened to. Luckily, they turned to OgilvyAction who came up with the incredible idea of sending out vinyl discs with a QR Code so it could be played on a ‘turntable’ made from the envelope it came in. It is actually a pretty amazing idea as you can see from the video below.

The campaign was a success with 71% of the 900 turntable QR Codes activated and 42% following the link to the Kontor online store. OgilvyAction say this was 64% more than the average response and with the bonus that they received great feedback from some of the industry’s most influential people.

It’s always interesting to see how barcodes make their way into or influence various type of artworks but “Ultraviolet -The Blue Carpet” by French artist Jonathan Bréchignac might me one of the most impressive. He hand drew this  2.5 ft × 4 ft design on paper using just blue Bic pens and Ultraviolet ink! It took  and took eight months to complete and will be showing  as part of the “The Blue Route” exhibition  from September 27, 2013 to February 9, 2014 at  at Villa Empain in Brussels. The intricacy, detail, and scope of the work is quite amazing. Each of the four QR Codes in the work take you to mysterious pages like this one. Hopefully we’ll end up seeing more great works from Bréchignac in the future!

When every second counts: with a small yet effective innovation, Mercedes-Benz wants to make the rescue of accident victims safer and swifter. Using a QR code, which can be read by smartphones and tablets, placed on Mercedes-Benz cars, will provide a rescue map for every vehicle type, which can be shown on the device’s display. This chart contains all the information necessary to rescue any injured occupants quickly.

This Mercedes-Benz innovation makes use of the rescue sheets developed by the ADAC, the German Automobile Association, and which are already provided by all automakers for every one of their vehicle models. The sheets show firefighters, police and paramedics the design details they need to know in order to use the rescue shears effectively, for example. The rescue sheet, specific for each vehicle type, also informs about the location of the airbags, the battery, the tanks, electric cables, high-pressure cylinders and other components – in the case of hybrid models the location of the additional batteries and high-voltage cables, too. This information can save lives, because in an emergency every action counts and every second is precious.

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More than 1,300 Taiwanese people formed a human QR code in an event designed to promote the island to the world by cashing in on the rising use of smartphones which can read the barcodes.  QR codes are commonly used to direct users to websites, videos or social media sites.

Forming the QR code, highlighted by a blue word “Hi” in the middle, involved a total of 1,369 people carrying umbrellas on the square of the Taipei City Hall, organizers said.

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Now a common place tool used at almost all levels of business, the barcode is now celebrating 60 years of use!

The now-ubiquitous patch was first patented in 1952. The first design, invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver, resembled a circular bullseye. Originally created to help speed up the check out lines at a grocery store, they are now use to track almost anything.  Asset management, inventory, POS, and ID issuance are just some examples of processes that would be much more difficult with out the help of barcodes.

Today, 60 years after the barcode was first patented, there are more than 5 million individual barcodes in use around the world.  Oddly enough, one of the first retail products to use a barcode was Wrigley’g gum!  Through the years, many different types of codes have been developed, but none as popular and well-known as the UPC barcode, used on retail items, and the quickly advancing QR code you can scan with your smartphone.

Wherever you look you can find the barcode hard at work.  With advancements in scanner technology and more flexible barcode development, we’ll hopefully see another 60 years of barcodes!