Thousands of happy New Zealand customers | 3m+ Barcodes sold globally | 10,000+ daily scans

How to use your barcode

If you order from us, you will receive your retail barcode via email with the barcode images in several different formats in five minutes. Our service is automated. Once you receive your barcode, you can begin using it easily and immediately. We have put together some steps on how to use your barcode to assist you.

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1. Incorporate the image into your product packaging or design

Choose whichever image format (e.g. jpeg) you prefer.

Resize the image to fit into your product packaging. Please keep in mind our ‘Barcode Specifications‘. The standard size (for EAN-13 or UPC-A barcodes) is about 38mm wide x 25mm high. The smallest recommended size is 80% of the standard size, i.e. about 30mm wide x 20mm high. If you print your barcode smaller than this, some retailers won’t accept it.

If you are placing your barcode on a curved surface, e.g. a bottle, the orientation of your barcode is essential. It may improve scannability if the barcode is rotated so it looks like a ladder (instead of like a fence). Positioning vertically on a curved surface means the edges of the barcode don’t wrap around the curve.

You can get a bit creative with the barcode if you like. Here are some examples of barcode artwork here. However, the main barcode image (the black bars and spaces) must remain unimpeded. If you want to print in a different colour combination (instead of black bars on a white background), please see our Barcode Colour Guide PDF. Barcodes work by contrast so the more you move away from black on white the harder it is for the checkout laser to read the number. Always test if you are changing colours.

You can then incorporate the image into your product packaging in an easily visible flat location (to ensure ease of scanning). You could also have the barcode printed onto adhesive labels to be manually applied to your product. We print labels if you need them.

For more information, please see this guide: Best Practices for Implementing Barcodes.

2. Print your packaging

Always check your label artwork BEFORE printing your product packaging. Check that the numbers are correct and that the image is still high quality and within the official size range. Zoom in and look for blurry lines or grey shadowing. This can reduce how well they scan. Changes and errors can occur at many stages in the process, so it is important to check the artwork really thoroughly before printing.

Once you’re happy with your barcode, it is a good idea to do a sample print and check that it is the right size and prints and scans correctly.

If your retailer asks you to get a verification report, you will need to post a sample of your printed barcode on the label or empty packaging to us for verification. Verification looks at seven parameters including

  • Modulation – how much the contrast between black and white varies across the barcode, as some parts can be blacker than others.
  • Defects – dark marks in white spaces and white marks on black bars from print error/dirt.
  • Decodability – how accurate the different widths of the bars and spaces of the barcode are.
  • Decode – whether the light margins on each side (left and right white spaces), the encoding of data, and the check digit are all correct.
  • Symbol Contrast – how black and white it appears to the scanning machine.
  • Minimum Reflectance – whether the dark bars are sufficiently different from the white spaces (hence be careful when printing on coloured backgrounds).
  • Edge Contrast Minimum – The least distinct difference between a bar and space.

3. Send your product to your retailers

Once you’re printed your product packaging, the next step is to send the products to your retailers.

It is at this stage that the barcode gets connected to the product. When it is scanned into a retailer’s system for the first time, no product information shows up. Next, the retailer needs to enter the product and price information into their system. After that, whenever the barcode is scanned in that retail store, the correct product information appears.

4. Register your barcodes

If you purchased barcodes from us, you can register your number, product and company details on the International Barcodes Database for free. You can even add a photo of your product. To register your number, please go to the Barcodes Customer Portal. Registration is optional and can be done at any time. However, it will increase the profile of your product on the internet. This information will show on internet databases such as Verified by IBN and will show on a google search when Google index the new listing. If you need to change product information you can amend at any time at the portal. NOTE: barcodes should never be reused on a different product. This is because retails stores have their own closed databases, and the old information will remain in the retailer’s database.

5. Keep track of your numbers

Cut and paste the numbers into your product list. Never reuse a number on a different product as the old information will still be in retailers’ databases. Save the image files to your cloud storage.

6. Create an account on the portal

Head to our customer portal. First create an account using the email address you used for your order. Then verify your email address. You can now log in and access all your past orders under this email address.

At the portal you can register product information for your barcodes. You can amend your email address and find your guarantee certificate. You can also resend yourself your barcode images if you lose them.

If you have dynamic QR codes hosted through our service, you can change the landing URL via the portal anytime 24/7.

Barcode Printing Tips

Click here to download our FREE Barcode Printing tips.

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