Product Barcodes

Suppose you have created or imported a product and wish to sell it to UK retailers – CONGRATULATIONS. If it doesn’t already have a retail barcode on it, you will need to purchase a barcode number …. And we can help you …..

1. Getting Product Barcodes

While this process is often made to seem overly complicated, it can be a relatively simple process without too many complications. Having a barcode number will help you get into more retailers, as retailers prefer to stock products that make the process easier. Hence it is always advisable to put a barcode on a retail product.

The first step is to establish what kind of barcode you will require. If you are selling a retail product in the UK, you will almost certainly need an EAN-13 product barcode. These are used on all retail barcodes UK except for books and magazines (you can find details on obtaining a book or magazine barcode here). EAN-13 barcode packages can be purchased here. Once an order is placed through our website, you will be emailed your barcode number with the images as attached files as soon as the order is placed. Look here for CD barcodes and DVD barcodes.

2. Incorporating the barcode onto your product

Once you have an EAN-13 barcode package, the next step is to incorporate one of the barcode images into your product packaging. This means opening the file containing your images in the email called ‘your barcode order’ and selecting the file format you like best. If you have trouble opening this file, just let us know, and we can send the files in an easier-to-manage format. After picking the best file type for you, the next stage is to incorporate it into the product packaging in an easily visible flat location. This way, when the product packaging is printed, the barcode will automatically be there. When a retailer receives your product for the first time, they will scan your barcode and input the product information into their system. From then onwards, whenever they can scan the barcode, the product information (price etc.) will automatically appear.

In some cases, you may have already printed the product packaging. If this is the case, while you should still incorporate the barcode into the packaging for the next print run, you can get sticky barcode labels printed to be manually stuck on your product in the interim. You can order barcode labels here. These will be sent to your address in the UK or Ireland, at which point you can peel them off and stick them on your product line. Once this is done, the barcode will work exactly as if it were incorporated into the packaging.

3. Other stuff you may need

If you are going into ASDA or some other stores, you may find that you will require barcode verification. This is a test scan of the product barcode as it is printed on the barcode. It can be arranged at any stage once you have your barcode. You can find out if you are likely to need this on our barcode acceptance page.

We include barcodes online registration with our barcode packages. This is optional but can help increase the internet profile of your product. You can also purchase barcode registration if you have barcode numbers but did not buy them in one of our barcode packages.

 

Contact us if you have any questions about product barcodes or any other type of barcode numbers, barcode labels or barcode services. OR visit our FAQ page.  We supply barcode numbers you can trust. You can even buy a barcode online.