Retail Business Solutions: Label Printers and Barcode Scanners Summary: Barcodes are used in point-of-sale management for identification of products and are used to reduce

human error and to keep a track of things. While retail industry all over the world is growing leaps and bounds, technology that can assist the business has been developing simultaneously. Labelling and barcode technologies are part of the retail business and so label printers and barcode scanners are helpful tools in point-of-sale management.

Labels are an essential element of retail trade and make the product informative and add to the product’s appeal. Many businesses use digital printing technology to design labels, which are colourful, informative and appealing. In the retail industry, labels are used for price marking and packaging. They establish the company’s identity and they should be used in a professional manner. A label printer is the commonly used equipment which facilitates in creating quality labels in a short period of time. It is basically a computer printer, which uses self-adhesive label material and tags, with built-in keyboards and displays. They need to have special feed mechanisms to handle rolled stock or fanfold stock. Why use a label printer?

1) Improves the quality of the label- Label printers ensure that the label is created using elevated resolution and a wide range of exciting colours. It creates superior quality labels that are not possible when using traditional printing methods.

2) Controls cost- Using label printers, instead of traditional printers, would ensure that the cost per label is lower.

3) Makes the label look more professional- Because of the high-quality deliverance, label printers make the labels look more professional, which creates a positive image of the company and the product appears appealing to the potential customers.

4) Enables multi-tasking- Flexography technology requires separate plate for each custom label design. But the label printers use a technique called ‘gang running’ through which it can join several designs into a single printing job.

5) Saves time- There are many time-consuming elements involved in tradition printing techniques. However, with the help of label printers the task can be finished within minutes, instead of hours or days, using digital technology.

6) Ensures flexibility- With the help of digital label printers, one can print several print material with each one of them containing different details and information. This makes digital label printing a flexible process.

7) Is compact- Digital label printers are compact and unlike flexographic technique, it does not require any printing plates. They are free from the hassle of setting up the entire process.

Another important tool in retail trade is barcode scanners. Barcodes are used in point-of-sale management for identification of products and are used to reduce human error and to keep a track of things. The barcode scanner is the electronic device used for reading printed barcodes and can be connected to the cash register or are hand held devices which read the barcode. The information extracted from the barcode is then sent to the computer or cash register, which highlights the item’s correct price, along with other related information. Though barcode scanners are mostly of two types, image-based and laser-based, the latter is mostly used in retail business. The laser-based scanners enable reading from any angle and up to 24 inches. Image-based scanners are mostly used in manufacturing units and warehouses. In today’s time, there are many more varieties of barcode scanners available in the market, suiting different needs of businesses. Why use barcode scanners?

A) Speeding up data-processing needs- The barcode scanning technology enables quick data processing that facilitates the business and makes data retrieval an easy task.

B) Efficient and accurate method of scanning- Barcode scanners provide accurate information because it relies on a pre-defined database.

C) Easy to handle- Mostly barcode scanners are hand-held and make the scanning process an easy task.

D) Reduces chances of human error- The technology of barcode scanning is primarily designed to make the process error-free.

E) Monitoring the movement of products- Through barcode scanners, one can monitor the products that have been repositioned within a store.

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