These days, small business owners are faced with numerous challenges. One of them is represented by the meticulous selection of tools and equipment designed to facilitate daily assignments, save time and money and ensure a more enjoyable shopping experience for all clients. Barcode scanners are extremely important products that definitely fit in this category. Without a modern, portable, fully functional barcode scanner, most store owners would be unable to manage their inventory, organize their merchandise and ultimately run a thriving business.
Barcode Scanners
Barcode scanners have been around for quite some time now. As a matter of fact, store owners have had the chance to test their benefits for more than 5 decades in a row. The basic mechanism of these essential gadgets was tested and implemented by Edward Silver and Norman J. Woodward in 1949. More than 50 years later, the basic principle behind their functionality is basically the same: barcode printers are expected to make daily work-related responsibilities become more automatic and time-effective. Nonetheless, barcode scanners have suffered various alterations in terms of design over the course of time.
What Do Barcode Scanners Do?
Barcode scanners basically capture, read and store the data identified on the machine-readable side of barcode labels. They have been implemented very rapidly on an international scale to enable store owners to simplify store management-related tasks and save a lot of time and energy.
What Are the Advantages of Modern Barcode Scanning?
Increased Speed. What would happen if you suddenly decided to run your business without relying on barcode scanner to keep track of your inventory? In short, you would have to enter barcode information manually. This process is tiresome and time-consuming, to say the least. According to eHow, a barcode scanner can process one 12-digit code in the same amount of time that you would require to read and enter two of the 12 numbers. Naturally, this means that modern barcode scanners enable users to focus on other equally important duties, like anticipating and addressing the needs and demands of their customers, for instance.
Data Integrity and Increased Accuracy. Human beings make mistakes. Your eyes get tired. Your mind is looking for prompt solutions to an endless string of business-related problems. At times, it can be very difficult to read and enter barcode information manually, especially when you are multitasking. Errors made by a keyboard operator can impact the store’s profit margins and complicate your work. Did you really think that skilled human operators can do no wrong? In this case, you may want to reconsider. According to Street Directory, 10 keying errors are associated with every one thousand characters entered by keyboard operators. OCR’s (Optical Character Readers) may lead to one error for every ten thousand reads. On the other hand, more modern laser technology could be responsible for only one error recorded for every 70 million data entries. These numbers indicate that a great barcode scanner can ensure a superior level of accuracy, protecting data integrity and safeguarding store owners from costly mistakes that could affect their profit margins.
Inventory Control. Every single company needs to keep track of its inventory. How do you know how many packages exit and enter your warehouse on a daily basis? A barcode scanner gives you the most accurate answer to this question, enabling you to maintain a strict control over your merchandise. Furthermore, if and when you’re delivering goods to your clients, you can connect their regular inventory control info with online portals to allow clients to check out package status. A barcode scanner enables store owners to gain full control over their commodities, minimize or eliminate financial losses associated with theft and/or misplaced items, and boost the quality of their customer service.
Cost. According to Chron Small Business, as barcode scanners have become widely available, their manufacturers have decided to reduce their price tags and play the affordability card. Even small companies with very limited financial possibilities can find, buy and use an affordable type of barcode scanner, download online barcode fonts, label their packages and start keeping track of their inventory. Most large-scale companies agree on the fact that barcode technology is much more accessible and straightforward than other inventory control strategies that are often way too complex and labor-intensive.
Versatility and Portability. When you go in favor of a modern barcode scanner like the one brought to you by Shopify, you discover two advantages associated with a sleek, portable and lightweight gadget: versatility and ease of use. This handy piece of equipment can scan both printed and digital barcodes and can connect wirelessly to your POS solution, allowing you to manage your inventory in a stress-free, simplified manner, anytime, anywhere.