Barcode Scanners; A Closer Look

There is no doubt about it; the use of an electronic POS system can definitely help your business increase its efficiency and, in turn, sales. Of all the components that go into the creation of a full-fledged point of sale system, the barcode scanner is the most important and dynamic item. In fact, when it comes down to it, the barcode scanner is POS efficiency epitomized.

Nowadays, the barcode scanner is so ubiquitous that most of us take it for granted, and this is, of course, good for retailers; evidence that the days of having to keep pen-and-paper inventory are indeed a thing of the past. By using a barcode scanner, your cashiers will be able to simply scan an item being purchased, which will automatically register the item as being sold and, in turn, deduct said item from your available inventory counts. But, the advantages don't stop there; the scanner can also be used to check availability of a given item, and for restocking purposes as well, all within seconds and without having to slow down your POS activities with written receipts. Plus, at the end of each business day, you will know exactly what was sold and when the sale took place, making retrieving information about any sale a snap.

The most common type of barcode scanner on the market today is called a CCD-based scanner. The older and least expensive of the two main types of barcode scanners, a CCD scanner uses a camera to collect the barcode information and usually needs to be held very close to the barcode itself in order to read the product's information. The main disadvantage of this type of scanner is that it cannot retrieve barcode information if the sticker is on a rounded surface. So, if you sell a lot of items that don't have flat surfaces, you would be best to use one of the slightly more expensive laser-based barcode scanners for your store. Also, laser-based barcode scanners have the additional advantage of still being able to read barcode information while being held further away from the barcode itself.

In addition, within the world of laser-based scanners, a new type of barcode scanner has relatively recently come into existence; the omnidirectional laser-based barcode scanner. Much like its name suggests, an omnidirectional barcode scanner differs from regular laser-based ones in that it sends out laser beams in many different directions at once, allowing cashiers to scan groups of items in just seconds. This type of scanner is becoming more and more popular with retailers all the time, and might be the best option for you to consider if lightening-fast POS transaction times are crucial for your business.

Of course, another source of diversity when it comes to all of these scanners lies in the different ways that they can be employed and how they transmit the barcode information into your POS system. For example, some scanners come in the form of hand-held devices and others are integrated into the counter-top at the cashier's station. Both of these sorts of configurations hold differing advantages and disadvantages, so picking the right type for your business will once again depend on the size and type of items you sell. This also pertains to their method of data transmission as well, with some scanners using USB to send scanned information, and others employing wireless technology.

So, there you have it; an in-depth look at POS's most important agent of efficiency, the much overlooked but highly valuable barcode scanner. Above all, like we said before, this valuable modern tool is thankfully becoming more and more standard in almost all types and sizes of retail establishments, so if your retail business isn't using a barcode scanner yet, we suggest you call a POS provider today to look into your options.