Barcodes FAQ

Will my Barcodes have a Company Prefix? 

No, we cannot give you barcode numbers with company prefixes.  No business can sell single barcodes that have a company prefix (these tend to be the first 7 digits of a barcode number).

Some retailers require a company prefix because they use it for electronic invoice exchanges & purchase orders.  Before purchasing barcodes from us you must check with your retailers to find out whether they require a company prefix. If you want a company prefix, you will have to pay annual fees for the right to use a large quantity of barcodes (100+) from a Global Standards Body.

What information is contained in a Barcode? 
A Barcode is purely a unique number – no specific product information is encoded within the bars. The barcode has no real meaning until the details of the product are typed into a retailer’s software application. When you supply your product to a retailer, they will put your product information into their software system (product name, barcode number, price, & reordering info). After this is complete, whenever your barcode is scanned your product details appear on the cash register. A barcode is purely a connection between your product and the product details stored in the computer system.

When we receive your order, we assign your EAN-13 barcode number(s) from our database. If all you want is the number, this is emailed to you.  If you require a graphic image of your barcodes, our Graphic Design department convert your numbers into barcode images and email them to you.

The time it takes us to process & send your order is often only a few hours. On less common occasions it can take us one to three business days. (If you have specific completion time requirements, please call or email to check on the current schedule.)
 
Is there anything that I need to do after I receive the barcode number from you?
Once you receive your unique barcode number, you can begin using it on your product. When you supply your products to your retailer, you usually need to provide them with the barcode number, as well as the product name, description, price etc. They will input this information into their inventory system.
 
What if I have more than one product, or some variations of my product? 
A unique EAN number is required for each different product in order for your retailer to properly identify your products in their inventory system.
 
Do I have to be a registered company to purchase a barcode number?
No. Any individual, business, or organisation can purchase & use our barcode numbers. You do not need to be registered as a company.
 
My business is located outside of Australia. Can I still purchase a barcode number from you?  
Yes, you can purchase your EAN-13 barcodes from us. EAN-13 codes are used throughout the world.

Why should I purchase a barcode number from you?
If your business only has a relatively small number of products or only needs new barcode numbers occasionally, then we are the best option (in our opinion) for purchasing barcode numbers and MUCH CHEAPER than alternatives. Our main advantages are:

1.      Low initial cost - one barcode number from $99
2.      No ongoing annual fees. We provide EAN-13 barcodes for a simple one-off fee. This an be a significant cost saving.
3.      FREE barcode graphic - many other barcode providers don't provide you with a graphic barcode image, or charge an extra fee for it.
4.      No membership requirements, no complicated forms to complete, and no restrictions on how you use your barcode numbers. Once you have purchased your number they are permanently yours, to use as you choose.
5.      We are fast! We can usually complete your order within hours (let us know if you require your number urgently).

Will the barcode number I receive be unique?
YES. We guarantee that the barcode number you receive is unique and has not been issued by us to anyone else anywhere in the world. We also provide a free Guarantee Certificate by email (or post for a small fee). The Guarantee Certificate covers all the numbers you purchase at that time.

Our Guarantee Certificate guarantees that we won't issue your barcode number(s) to anyone else. (We guarantee this for all our numbers, whether or not you have a Guarantee Certificate). This is backed by a written Guarantee we have from the US company we purchase our bulk barcode numbers from, in which they guarantee that they won't issue our numbers (the numbers they have issued to us) to anyone else. In addition, the US company we purchase our barcode numbers from is recommended by George J. Laurer (inventor of UPC codes)

There is sometimes a fear of the duplication of barcode numbers - this is one reason barcode numbering systems are guarded carefully. No retailer wants two quite different products on their shelf with the same barcode number. Barcode number duplication can occur occasionally through things like
- manufacturers allocating the same number to two different products
- businesses making up their own barcode number
- buying a number from a company that generates numbers randomly.

Barcode number duplication can also occur through companies like ours selling the same number to more than one purchaser. We are aware of this potential danger, and have accurate systems in place to avoid duplication of numbers – we guarantee that we will not sell the same number to more than one client. (This is also a reason why we cannot offer refunds for any barcode purchases, we cannot resell any numbers 'returned' to us because of the danger of duplication).

We purchase our barcode numbers from a reputable source in the US, which is recommended by George J. Laurer, who guarantee that they have not sold our numbers to anyone else. They have sold thousands of barcode numbers, with no numbers being sold twice and have thousands of satisfied customers. (It isn’t difficult to ensure that a business like ours doesn’t sell duplicate numbers).

Will my barcode ever expire?
No. Your barcode will never expire. Once the barcode number is issued to you, the same number will never be issued to anyone else - it is yours for life.

Will I ever have to pay Renewal Fees?
No, we do not charge renewal fees. All of our prices are one-off payments. We will never ask you for any future fees or licence fees. Because these barcode numbers come from a company which joined the UCC in the 1990’s, before they started charging renewal fees (August, 2002), we don't need to pay any renewal fees. This saving is passed on to you - we do not & will not ever charge you any renewal fees.

What are acceptable dimensions for EAN-13 barcode printing?
The standard EAN-13 barcode image size is 37.3mm wide x 25.9mm high. The smallest recommended size is 80% of the standard size (ie. 30mm wide). The largest recommended size is 200% of the standard size (ie 74.6mm wide). Width is more important than height because barcode scanners need to be able to easily distinguish between the bars, and reducing the width reduces the distance between them. We recommend doing a test scan of any EAN image before mass producing your product with its barcode attached.

Will the barcode I buy be registered in a Central Database?
No. Individual barcode numbers are not usually registered in a Central Database. It is up to the owner of the barcode number to ensure it is not used in duplicate situations, and to keep track of how the number is used.

When you receive your barcode number from Barcodes Limited, you control that specific number. If you discontinue one product, you may re-use that barcode number on another product - BUT you must pass on this information to the retailer, and ensure that both products are not being supplied at the same time. (It is wise to allow some time between the end of one product’s life, and the reuse of that number on another product). Hence, you become the registrar of that unique barcode number and are responsible to ensure it is used properly.

How Can You Sell Me a Single Number?
In the 1990’s, some manufacturers in the USA were given unique manufacturer ID numbers, these numbers were assigned to their companies & became their property.

At the start of the 2000’s, GS1-US (previously known as UCC) started requiring that all the manufacturer ID numbers they issued remain the property of GS1-US. They required the user to start paying annual fees to keep being allowed to use their numbers.

Several US manufacturers took UCC (GS1-US) to Court because of the new annual fees requirement. They succeeded, and received settlement of almost $4 million USD. As a result of the settlement, any company which had paid a membership fee to UCC prior to August 28, 2002, was entitled to free perpetual membership of UCC and continued use of their company prefix.

A few of these companies had unused barcode numbers, and sold these to other companies. We were able to purchase a large quantity of these unused numbers from a reputable company. This is why we can now offer you a single barcode number, or a larger quantity of unique numbers from us for one simple one-off price (we don't charge annual or renewal fees).

Who invented barcodes?
George Joseph Laurer (born September 23, 1925 in New York) developed the Universal Product Code (UPC) in 1973. As an engineer at IBM, he was asked to develop the pattern used for the Universal Product Code. Have a look at his website http://www.laurerupc.com  He freely shares his knowledge and expertise about the symbol he created and clarifies many of its surrounding issues. He also expresses his frustration with the exorbitant fees charged by GS1-US, and recommends reputable companies like ours which can provide small quantities of UPC (barcode) numbers at an affordable price.  (Our barcode numbers come from a source recommended by George J Laurer)

Why was Barcodes Limited formed?
We were involved with another business, which developed a small number of successful retail products for Australia and NZ. As these products became more successful, we found that some stores required a barcode number on the products. Our initial investigations led to only one major source for barcode numbers, and horror when we saw the cost of obtaining the few barcodes we required. No-one else in NZ seemed able to provide us with a barcode. This got us asking questions - we thought there should be a way to purchase one (or a few) barcode numbers without paying large joining fees or annual fees for membership.

After lots more research, investigation & ingenuity, we obtained our barcode. Then we got calls from other companies asking how they could obtain a barcode number. So, not wanting others to waste their time and money unnecessarily, we decided to help other people obtain barcode numbers and graphics easily à hence Barcodes Limited was formed.

Do I have to print my barcode in black on white?
No. Black bars on a white background is the normal colouring for barcodes, and provides good contrast for scanning. However, you can print your barcode in other colours, but it is essential that you have a good distinction between the bars of your barcode and the spaces in-between. If you plan to print your barcode in other colours, get expert help and also undertake rigorous test scanning.

Can you send me sample graphics?
You can see sample images here.  If you have trouble with these, just send us an email & we can email you samples of barcodes in various graphic formats - so you can see which format you prefer.

What numbers are required for books and magazines?
ISBN and ISSN numbers are required for magazines & books. You can get an ISBN number (for books) in Australia from the ISBN Agency. There is a small charge for these numbers. ISSN numbers (for magazines) in are available from the Australian National Library.  Once you have the number, contact us or order online and we can provide the correct barcode artwork to print on your magazine or book.

 

Do you have more questions? Email us, we are happy to help.

Order Now

To order a barcode number or graphic, click here.