Frequently Asked Questions About Barcodes
What is a Barcode?
A Barcode is a set of lines and spaces that represents a number. A Barcode is readable by Barcode Scanners. In the case of Retail Barcodes it is a 13 digit number that is unique to your product. Retail Barcodes can also be 12 or 8 digits in length.
Why do I need a Barcode?
There are a LOT of products in this world. It would be a pretty complicated place if all of the Retail Barcodes in the world were not unique. There would be no way to tell products apart. The reason you need a barcode is that retailers need to be able to identify your details about your product quickly (e.g. prices, inventory levels, etc.) Most retail checkout counters have barcode scanners that are linked to Point of Sale software.
What information is contained in a Barcode?
A Barcode is just a number. There is no extra information contained within the bars.The barcode has no meaning until it the details of the product are entered into a software application. For example a retailer who uses MYOB will enter your products Barcode number, description, cost price, sell price, etc into the MYOB product menu. When the barcode is scanned at the check-out counter, the Barcode number is looked up in the software. Once it is found, the sell price is displayed on the cash register. A barcode is only a link between your product and the product information within the software.
How many Barcodes do I need?
A barcode is simply an inventory tracking tool that retailers use in their computer systems. For example, if you sell a t-shirt that comes in one color and 3 different sizes you would need to buy 3 barcodes. This way, if one of the sizes is selling faster than the others, the store will be able to tell instantly which one needs to be replenished without having to do a manual shelf count.
What Size should my Barcode be?
There are official standards about what size a retail barcode should be. If you decide to resize a barcode image we provide, you must take care. If the barcode is made too small or resized incorrectly then it may not be able to be scanned. Check out the official standard at: Barcode Sizing Specifications.
Will my Barcode be accepted by all Retail Stores?
The majority of Retail Stores will accept barcodes provided by Australian Barcodes. However there are some cases where the retailer has refuses to accept barcodes provided by Australian Barcodes.
1)
Woolworths, Coles & Super Cheap Auto
- We understand that Woolworths, Coles & Super Cheap Auto
has mandated that barcodes be purchased directly from the Australian branch of a Global Standards Body.
2)
Barcode Verification by the Australian branch of a Global Standards Body - If you are supplying to a large retail chain please verify whether they require Barcode Verification by the Australian branch of a Global Standards Body. The Australian branch of the Global Standards Body has informed us that they will not provide Barcode Verification for barcodes that are not purchased directly from them. Please see the following statement for the terms and conditions regarding the purchase of your barcode.
Click here for Australian Barcodes Terms and Conditions
Will my Barcodes be accepted by Amazon?
Yes. However Amazon does not verify whether a barcode that is entered by a product supplier is actually owned by that organization. There have been cases where incorrect barcodes have been entered onto the Amazon store by other Amazon product vendors. Luckily Amazon has a conflict resolution process for two parties wanting the same barcode. Australian Barcodes is happy to assist you in this unlikely situation.
Will my Barcode work in other countries?
Yes it will. The barcodes issued by Australian Barcodes are unique worldwide. They work anywhere where either UPC or EAN barcodes are used. This includes Canada, Australia, the UK, Europe, Asia, Mexico, South America, the Middle East, and anywhere else that they use bar codes. The only limitation that we have found is that two major retail chains in the US (Wal-Mart & Kroger's), and Woolworths Australia require you to be registered with a barcode organisation.
Will my Barcode ever expire?
No, your barcode will never expire. Once the barcode is issued to you, it will never be issued to anyone else again and it is yours for life.
Are there Annual or Renewal fees that I will have to pay for my Barcodes?
No, all of our fees are one-time only and you never have to pay any renewal fees or future fees of any kind. Because of the way we purchase our barcodes, we don't have to pay renewal fees. Therefore, you don't have to pay renewal fees.
Are your Barcodes issued by an official barcode body?
Yes they are. All Barcodes have been issued by the Uniform Code Council (now - GS1 - US). These barcodes were originally issued to a US company in bulk. We have purchased blocks of these barcode numbers and are selling them to businesses who need a small quantity of barcodes and don't want to pay ongoing annual fees
Can you guarantee that my Retailer(s) will accept the barcodes I purchase from you?
No. No company or organisation can guarantee universal acceptance if their barcodes by retailers. Retailers have the right to reject barcodes (and product packaging) for any number of reasons. You must check your Retailers' barcode and packaging requirements prior to purchasing your barcode(s). Regardless of who you purchase barcodes from you should NOT print your packaging until you have full acceptance of your barcodes and packaging by all of your retailer(s). Please see the following statement for the terms and conditions regarding the purchase of your barcode. Click here for Australian Barcodes Terms and Conditions.
How Can You Sell Me a Single Number?
In the 1990’s, US Manufacturers were given "manufacturer ID" numbers. There were no strings attached to these assigned numbers. The manufacturer ID numbers were unique to these companies and belonged to these companies as part of their assets. From the early 2000’s, GS1-US (formerly UCC) changed their requirements so that all the manufacturer ID numbers they issued became the property of GS1-US, and the user was required to start paying annual fees to retain those numbers. Some US manufacturers brought lawsuits against UCC (GS1-US) with regard to these annual fees. They were successful and GS1-US (formerly UCC) was forced to pay a $3.89m USD settlement. This settlement also stated that 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. Some of these companies have unused barcode numbers that they are prepared to sell to other companies. Australian Barcodes has purchased a block of these numbers to provide unique EAN-13 format numbers for Australian & NZ companies.
Are your Barcodes legal in Australia?
Yes they are. All of our Barcodes have been issued by the Uniform Code Council (now called GS1 - US).
Will I be able to scan my Barcodes?
Yes. As long as the proportions of the bar code we e-mail to you are preserved and as long as it is printed at 300 dpi or higher, your bar code will be scannable.
What do I need to do after I receive my Barcode.
When you meet with your retailer, they will ask you what you want the product name, price, etc. to be. You will give them your 13-digit EAN number as well as the product information that you want them to program into their software system.
Can I print my Barcodes in colors other than black and white?
Yes, but remember that barcode scanners are color blind. Therefore darker colors appear grey or black. It is very important that you always maintain a high degree of contrast between you bar code and its background. A Black barcode against a white background is optimal.
Will your Barcodes work for any retail product?
Almost. Woolworths has mandated that barcodes be purchased from and verified by the Australian branch of a Global Standards Body. To the best of our knowledge our barcodes work for all other retailers and retail products in Australia (except for magazines and books) which require a 13-digit EAN bar code. Therefore, whether you need a bar code for your t-shirt, CD, toaster, or whatever it is you are selling, Australian Barcodes can be of service to you.
How do I get a barcode for books or magazines?
ISBN (International Standard Book Numbers) and ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) are unique identifiers assigned to each edition of every published book, book-like product, magazine and serial. You can get an ISBN number in Australia from the ISBN Agency. There is a small charge for these numbers. ISSN numbers are available from the Australian National Library.
Will your Barcodes have a Company Prefix?
No. The company prefix is typically the first seven numbers within your barcode. No organisation can sell single barcodes that have a company prefix. The only way to get a company prefix is to purchase a large block of barcodes (1,000+) from the Australian branch of a Global Standards Body. The only challenge you may encounter with not having a company prefix is that some large retailers require a company prefix for electronic exchange of invoices and purchase orders. Prior to purchasing a barcode, you should speak to your customer if you think that not having a company prefix will be an issue.
Why should I buy Barcodes from you and not from the worldwide body?
All bar codes must originate from the worldwide body. However, if you purchase them directly from the worldwide body you have to buy a large number of bar codes. You must pay a membership fee. They will also charge you an annual renewal fee.
Our company has access to barcodes already purchased in bulk from the Uniform Code Council and we simply sell them off one at a time. This way, if you only need a small quantity of bar codes, you can get exactly what you need from us at a much better price. Also, since we don't have to pay renewal fees, you don't have to pay renewal fees.
How do I purchase Barcodes?
Simply decide on the barcode package you want on the barcode page of our web site - Australian Barcodes. You can pay for your barcode using a credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) or using Paypal. You will receive e-mail confirmation of your purchase.
After we receive your order we will assign you a unique barcode number from our database. If you require we will create a graphical image of your barcode and e-mail it to you.
What else do I need to you after I receive the barcode?
You can start using the barcode on your product immediately. When you are ready to supply your products to your retailer, you will need to provide them with the barcode number, as well as certain details about your product. This information will be placed into their software systems.
Can any organisation or individual purchase a barcode number?
Certainly. We can provide barcode numbers for companies, societies, charities, partnerships, sole traders and individuals – anyone can purchase a barcode from us.
Barcode Specifications
Magnification |
Bar Width |
Bar Height |
Left Margin |
Right Margin |
80% |
25.08 |
18.28 |
2.9 |
1.85 |
85% |
26.65 |
19.42 |
3.09 |
1.96 |
90% |
28.22 |
20.57 |
3.27 |
2.08 |
95% |
29.78 |
21.71 |
3.45 |
2.19 |
100% |
31.35 |
22.85 |
3.63 |
2.31 |
105% |
32.92 |
23.99 |
3.81 |
2.43 |
110% |
34.49 |
25.14 |
3.99 |
2.54 |
115% |
36.05 |
26.28 |
4.17 |
2.66 |
120% |
37.62 |
27.42 |
4.36 |
2.77 |
125% |
39.19 |
28.56 |
4.54 |
2.89 |
130% |
40.76 |
29.71 |
4.72 |
3 |
135% |
42.32 |
30.85 |
4.9 |
3.12 |
140% |
43.89 |
31.99 |
5.08 |
3.23 |
145% |
45.46 |
33.13 |
5.26 |
3.35 |
150% |
47.03 |
34.28 |
5.45 |
3.47 |
155% |
48.59 |
35.42 |
5.63 |
3.58 |
160% |
50.16 |
36.56 |
5.81 |
3.7 |
165% |
51.73 |
37.7 |
5.99 |
3.81 |
170% |
53.3 |
38.85 |
6.17 |
3.93 |
175% |
54.86 |
39.99 |
6.35 |
4.04 |
180% |
56.43 |
41.13 |
6.53 |
4.16 |
185% |
58 |
42.27 |
6.72 |
4.27 |
190% |
59.57 |
43.42 |
6.9 |
4.39 |
195% |
61.13 |
44.56 |
7.08 |
4.5 |
200% |
62.7 |
45.7 |
7.26 |
4.62 |
The Bar Width only includes the bars themselves It does not include the left and right margins.
The Bar height is only the height of the bars themselves. It does not include the "human readable" number which must appear below the bars.
The left and right margins (also called the “Quiet Zone”) is white space on either side of the barcode. This space is mandatory because barcode scanners need them in order to read the barcode. In some cases you will see a ">" in the lower right hand corner of the image. This is an option that is used to give a visual indication of the right margin.