Barcodes are not just about product pricing

Yes, product pricing is a vital function of a barcode; it enables goods presented to a cashier, or at the checkout, to accurately display the price of the item, this ensures that the products are labelled with price and product information and this in turn reduces labour costs. Prices and details can be changed on the main system without the need for relabelling items, is one example of cost saving.

The barcode has other important functions which helps business to run efficiently, for example for businesses that ships out goods to individuals or perhaps to other companies, the barcode can be used to accurately track the progress of shipments. This means that it is possible to check on items which may have been reported missing, delayed and as proof of delivery.

Similarly, document tracking between departments or other companies is another use for the barcode, you can mark documents with barcode labels to ensure they are properly filed, sent and received on time.

Stock and inventory control are vital operations in any well run business and by using barcodes it will make his task simpler and easier, it also ensures accuracy. Using barcodes labels for inventory and stock taking ensures that mistakes which can occur through human error are drastically reduced, or even eliminated.

If you believe that our company could benefit from using barcodes for any of these functions, call us and we will be happy to discuss the options with you.

Making inventory management simple with the use of asset tags

The problem of keeping check on stock or equipment that is moved around from one warehouse to another can be a headache for management, similarly when items are sent out for repair or maybe loaned out. With constant moving around, it is easy for management to lose track of items and for this reason, it is essential for companies to invest in an effective security plan. Asset tags are an effective way of maintaining stock levels and tracking equipment.

Asset tags are probably the way that most companies overcome these difficulties; they are commonly used in commercial establishments and in the retail industry, where many items often need to be tracked. In the retail world we increasingly see asset tags with barcodes and magnets to keep track of stock levels; these reduce the incidence of theft and also switching of price tags, once a very common practice.

In our industry as with many others, technology is improving constantly and new techniques involving asset labels are being developed regularly. Whilst sticky labels are still very popular, barcodes and hologram labels are very widely used. Business has seen that the use of asset tajs has had an impact by making life easier for management and reducing valuable employees time and saving companies money by reducing loss and theft.

With the use of the correct asset tags, inventory management can be made very easy.

Weatherproof barcode labels

If you need barcode labels for goods, equipment or merchandise that requires storage in non-standard environments, you will have to ensure that the labels are specially designed to be durable and completely suitable for the conditions.

Durable labels are now available that can withstand extreme heat and cold, outdoor environments, wind, rain and sleet as well as exposure to mild to moderately hazardous chemicals, you may need labels that are resistant to abrasion or other risks of surface damage

These labels are designed to remain intact and perfectly functional even in these extreme conditions. This means you can read them, scan them and easily see them even if they have been outdoors or in a hot, damp environment for months. Some are over-laminated or coated with other protective substances, whilst some are made from super-durable vinyl.

Naturally much depends upon the conditions and just what they may be needed for, we can supply durable barcode labels that can withstand temperatures as low as -40˚C and as high as +150˚C. By not using specially adapted barcode labels valuable time of employees may be spent and that means unnecessary effort and money replacing them when they fade or disintegrate. There is also the risk that mistakes will be made during inventory checks or at stocktaking, which will inevitably lead to problems further on. By using the correct label for the conditions and environment, problems can be averted.

The law on product labelling

At Data Label we are always willing to advise our customers concerning the law with regard to what has to be included and information that is not necessary on a product label. To this end we publish here some of the things which fall into what must be included and how labelling must not be misleading to customers.

For example a label must not exaggerate or be misleading about the quantity or size of the item, the price, what he product is made from and how and where it’s made, suggesting that it was made in England when it was made elsewhere. You must not make exaggerated claims about what the product will do, where a product is endorsed, misleading statements from the individual or organisation cannot be included. You must always include safety information for products that could be dangerous.

In the sector that covers your particular business, you have to follow the rules if you manufacture or you sell or distribute items such as precious metals, footwear, food and drink, and products that are specifically for children. For the retail sector it is necessary to display on the product or shelf edge label the price and in this country this has to be in pounds and pence and include VAT where this applies.

If these rules and disregarded then you will be at risk of prosecution, if you are unsure one of our advisor will be happy to discuss this with you, alternatively you can always contact your local Trading Standards Office who we are sure will be of help to you.

Get Car Window Stickers Working for you

We have all seen them at some time, we may even have been attracted by what one was offering us and if this is the case than the car sticker has done the job that was intended. Car stickers can be used for a variety of purposes, on the motor trader’s forecourt they can be used a number of times, for example a car sticker on the windscreen of a car announcing “Low Mileage”, “One Owner” are just two examples of a sticker that can be used any number of times.

Here at Data Label we have the capability to produce a variety of car window stickers, for business, clubs, visitor attractions and more, promotions is where the car sticker comes into its own. We are not restricted to a limited range of shapes or colours, you choose the shape, the size and the colour combination, we use your design, or we can offer suggestions, we process this and then you have you advertising ready to put onto cars, although most of these stickers are used on cars, we have supplied them for boats and there are many other places that these are seen.

You do not have to buy huge quantities either, we can supply a run of just 100 as a starting point or for a big campaign several thousand. We offer the car sticker that can be used to either go on the inside of the window, or the outside, they can be removed which are self-cling, or we can use a peelable adhesive if preferred. However, if you would like them to be permanent, then that is what we can do.

There are three ways in which we can produce car window stickers, tell us how you would like to use them and we can advise whether to have them supplied as single pieces, on sheets or on rolls. On a roll is usually the most cost effective solution. Request a quote today by calling our friendly and efficient customer care team on 01293 551520. Alternatively, fill out our quick and simple online enquiry form and we’ll call you.

Why Product Labels Matter

We are all aware that the product label is an important element in marketing and selling a consumer product. Consumers need to know about the product, such as what the product is, how much it costs, how to use it, and how to store it. A product label might also need to comply with industry or government regulations, or offer warnings of any dangers should the product be misused. Importantly of course the product label needs to sell the product by telling the customer what it is, perhaps containing a brand image such as a logo.

We can see that the product label has a big job to do, and on a wide variety of products; produce, beverages, and food packaging are just a few types of products that require specific kinds of labels; different products present their own particular challenges as well as requirements. For example we know that for some labels they may have to withstand refrigerated or frozen distribution or storage, or endure application in a wet or cold environment, directly or indirectly in contact with the food. In addition these kinds of items have to have statutory information printed on them; content and make up, nutritional information, storage or cooking instruction are just some.

The labels have to be eye catching and attractive to the customer and with our digitally printed labels, we provide you with high-quality, full-colour labels for short run projects requiring variable data, images, or other information. We can help you design just the right label in a variety of shapes and sizes, using only the best materials so that your label performs from start to finish. Call us today and we will be pleased to discuss your particular labelling requirement.

Barcode Verification and Validation

We take the ubiquitous barcode for granted, but it is pretty worthless if it will not read or scan properly. Naturally we assume that a simple scan will give us all we need to know about the barcoded product, but this assumption can be false.

Much depends upon the scanner of course, but not all of it, some scanners have technology that enables them to scan and read even poorly printed barcodes; that doesn’t mean your customer will be able to scan the barcode though.

When we produce barcodes here at DataLabel we always ensure that they are readable at any point in time through verification. Verification tests and grades the barcode for quality, consistency and adherence to a specification standard. Further we always check for quality this means that we ensure that the barcode is printed to a satisfactory quality, which means solidly printed bars, sufficient white areas and quiet zones, good contrast between the light and dark areas. When your barcodes pass the verification process, you know that the label is successful and will be readable further on in the supply chain.

Validation on the other hand is a different process that ensures that the barcode represents an actual product. Validation checks that the proper number has been printed as expected, however it will not tell you if the barcode is readable by all other barcode scanners. Validation helps to reduce errors that can occur such as re-assigning a number from one item to another within a product line.

Both verification and validation are important because together they ensure accurate and readable barcodes. If you have any queries about verification, validation or any other matter relating to barcodes, call us and we will be pleased to discuss these with you.

Digitally printed custom labels

Printing has come a long way and today there can be little excuse for a for quality printed label, indeed it is an old saying but it still holds good today, an image is worth a thousand words. To get that quality image it is necessary to have good print and it is just the same when designing the label.

Custom labels when digitally printed will enhance the promotional quality of the label and in urn the product. With digital printing you not only get the highest quality, but at a surprisingly low cost, this quality can be a help in promoting your product and your business. Naturally as you would expect, the quality of the label and the way that it looks can and will enhance the image of your company and product.

Now we are fully aware that not every company has a massive budget, but we can accommodate high quality digitally printed labels on a low or tight budget, the print quality will still be high but it might involve options of ink colour, different sizes, shapes and materials available.

However if you are looking for an attention grabbing label and would like bright colours and shapes, this will not present a problem, let us have a look at your proposed designs and we will be happy to let you have a no obligation quotation.

There are many types of custom labels available in the market, just research the market well to discover which ones are most suitable for you and we will be happy to digitally print and supply these for you.

The advantages of over-laminated labels

Before over-laminated labels were commonly available, company owners and managers found themselves wasting time and money replacing barcode labels that had become damaged or simply disintegrated or faded and unreadable. This can mean that time is lost by being unable to read the label and can mean that valuable employee’s time is wasted.

Today we can provide labels from a variety of materials that are capable of withstanding the harshest of conditions including being frozen down to extreme temperatures referred to as cryogenic.

However, one of the most cost effective methods is to over-laminate the label by coating with a clear film of polyester material. By doing this we will protect the label from a number of common problems such as the weather, ultraviolet rays, grease and dirt, fingerprints, many known chemicals and even graffiti!

With the protection of the over-laminated surface, barcode labels remain legible, structurally intact and perfectly functional. The label information can’t be scratched off or damaged, so ensuring that it is always readable and remain so for as long as the item to which it is attached . Other benefits of over-laminated barcode labels and asset tags include reduced glare from light sources and it can also help to keep the label smooth and flat.

QR code your marketing friend

The QR code was devised in 1994 and it is something which is being seen more and more on labels, documents even phone apps for example. The QR Code is capable of encoding more than 7,000 characters in a single symbol, whereas a single bar code symbol typically stores around 20 digits and we know that if the QR code was to encode the same as a barcode, 20 digits, it would be only one tenth of the size of the bar code.

Now as we can see the QR code is easily recognized because of the distinctive square “position detection patterns” at three corners of the symbol, allowing the symbol to be easily found and decoded by a QR Code reader, importantly it can be read at any orientation and also at any speeds. Customers do not need expensive specialist QR code readers either, an increasing number of mobile phones are also installed with QR Code readers, but if not, free reader software is readily available for most mobile platforms.

So we are finding that more businesses are inquiring about QR codes for use as a marketing tool, one example would be something simple like a QR code on a product which when scanned will take the user to the company website, suggest simple cooking instructions, even forthcoming events at a theme park.

If you are interested in using QR codes for your business contact us and we will be pleased to discuss all the options available and supply a quotation for supplying them to you.