Bar Codes

[wishlist]

Anybody recently have experience purchasing bar codes? Website you purchased from?

My understanding is large retailers like Walmart require a GS1 code which requires a annual fee but most other stores do not? Any insite is appreciated.

[GeneralStark]

There are several free barcode generators available online. Here is one example: http://barcode.tec-it.com/

Are you planning on selling syrup to Shaw's or Walmart?

[DaveB]

Are you talking about a UPC code? My understanding is that the UPC barcode needs to be unique for most larger retailers. You need to check with the retailer to see if they require that you have your own prefix which can cost about $1000. If you just need a unique UPC code, you can get those pretty cheap (around $50).

[GeneralStark]

Maybe he is talking about batch codes?

[BreezyHill]

From what I recall from a marketing class a Unified Product Code and a bar code are one in the same.

printing an existing UPC or BC can be done for free at many sights. Purchasing a UPC or Bar Code can get very pricey and there is an annual fee for maintaining its data entry package.

I would like to see a State Assoc purchase UPCs for plastic and glass containers so that individuals don't need to spend loads of $$$ repeatedly

[Mark]

The correct way to get bar codes is from the government, GS1. It is less than a grand and you can change the last two digits which gives you 100 codes. Yearly fees are about $150. At one time there were several companies buying up codes and reselling them. That was stopped but the codes that were already bought were grandfathered so there are a few companies selling legal individual codes. At the time there was not a yearly renewal fee so you don't have to worry about them expiring. You can buy just the number of codes you want and it is fairly cheap. Don't know the names of the companies selling them, you would have to research that. If you purchase through the government and someone looks up the barcode your company name comes up. If you were to purchase one through a reseller their name comes up. No problem until you want to get into a store and they want to see the paperwork showing that you are the original purchaser of those codes. No problem if you are doing some small stores other than Walmart or something like that. They just don't want the chance of two products coming up with the same code. I went through the government because I was spending a bunch of money having jugs printed and wanted no problems. The only thing I wish I did was purchase them a couple years earlier because just before I did they started yearly renewal fees. If it was before that time I would have been grandfathered and it would have been a one time fee.

[mrnorthshore]

I bought mine from a website www.legalbarcodes.com
200 bar codes for $85.00
I think this might be one of the companies Mark is talking about.

[wishlist]

Thanks all, lots of good information. I spoke again to the store and a GS1 code is not required. One of the pre-purchased codes without the annual fee is acceptable.

[Mark]

Thanks all, lots of good information. I spoke again to the store and a GS1 code is not required. One of the pre-purchased codes without the annual fee is acceptable.
There is a series of codes that is never issued. It is for stores to use at will. I had a store that just made barcode stickers for my jugs before I had my own.

[Moser's Maple]

here's a link about gs1's that may help Bob
http://www.gs1us.org/get-started/im-new-to-gs1-us

[Mark]

here's a link about gs1's that may help Bob
http://www.gs1us.org/get-started/im-new-to-gs1-us

I see now it is much cheaper if you only need barcodes for ten products. They did that before and when I signed up the 10 codes was not an option and had to go for 100. Now the 10 option is back.

[aunt stellas gardens]

The guy at this website has been in the barcode business for 25 years or more. An expert for sure. Call him and he will happily answer your questions.

www.expressbarcodes.com

[Planethill]

From what I recall from a marketing class a Unified Product Code and a bar code are one in the same.

Kind of.

A UPC code is always a bar code. But a bar code is not necessarily a UPC code. Many things can be bar codes (think of a UPS label).

[Shiftman]

From what I have heard bar codes can be obtained for free. First you need a number generated, look it up, its quite easy to do it yourself and then there are websites that will print a jpg bar code. The chance you are taking is that you have the same barcode as another product, but the chances are very slim.