When people think of the word "barcode scanner", the first thing that usually comes to mind is the checkout counter in a supermarket. This is a great example of the usefulness of barcodes and the machines that read them: without them, grocery shopping takes a long time, and supermarkets often run out of stock due to disorganized inventory controls. But barcode scanners are becoming staples in more industries and organizations every day - in ways you might not have considered.

Barcoding is a relatively obscure technology: a series of lines and spaces, representing a numerical code (or, in the case of newer 2D barcodes, a square of dots containing more product information), corresponding to a product database. They have been in common use since the 1970s, which is indescribable for many other technological advancements from that era. While traditional 1D barcodes may gradually be replaced by 2D or Digimarc barcodes (UPC/EAN overlaid on the entire surface of the product), the use of the underlying technology is more prominent than ever.

Here are 5 industries where barcodes have changed the way people conduct business, communicate and organize inventory and fixed assets.

Of course, big box retailers use barcodes - you can see them on almost every product you buy. But the ways in which barcodes can change the scale of these businesses have been overlooked.

For example, barcodes have fundamentally changed the trajectory of Walmart, which is now a global sales behemoth. They help Walmart transform its supply chain, constantly communicating with manufacturers and suppliers to push them to produce and deliver goods faster and cheaper than ever before.

Barcoding also enables large retailers to innovate and find the most creative and efficient inventory management solutions. Amazon, which recently surpassed Walmart to become a retail giant, uses a "clutter storage" approach to organizing products -- placing incoming products in whatever shelf space is available but using barcodes to track exactly where those products are now and allow their systems The best route will be devised later to find them again through the warehouse.

On the other hand, Etsy store owners and other home-based businesses have significantly less demand than larger businesses, but barcodes can still play a vital role. Barcode labels aren't just industrial size and strength -- desktop barcode printers can create smaller labels, helping craft makers keep track of their latest creations and make sure everything gets to where it belongs. Handling logistics as a one-person business is tough enough, and meeting customer demands is often just as important as ensuring their orders are delivered on time.

Barcodes are very useful in the healthcare industry, where tracking inventories such as drugs or surgical equipment is critical, and likewise providing access or verification for patients and their families.

One of the biggest benefits of using barcodes compared to manual tracking systems is the reduction in human error - which can have devastating consequences in the pharmaceutical world. With barcode printers that create barcodes for wristbands, healthcare professionals can scan patients' barcodes and ensure they are getting the appropriate treatment at the right time, as well as check that the medications they are taking are accurate and in stock for future doses.

Tracking a school's fixed assets - such as laptops, tablets, lab equipment, and even textbooks - is critical to maintaining accurate accounting, which is often one of the conditions a school needs to maintain its grants. Likewise, the consequences of failing to accurately track the location of school assets (especially as those assets become more valuable, such as iPads) are too large to count manually. When it comes to educational compliance, costs are likely to increase.

Barcoding helps individual schools and districts protect assets from theft and mismanagement and helps teachers, administrators, and even temporary employees avoid lengthy summer audits where every asset must be accounted for.

Government-run industries such as law enforcement, the military, and fire/emergency services have already had to consider a variety of tools and assets purchased with public funds - and recent controversies are expected to deny access to more tracking, such as body cameras and protective armor. So a tracking system that says who inspected a piece of equipment, when, and where is critical to ensuring that every officer, soldier, firefighter, and other public worker has what they need to do their jobs when they need it when.

A quality asset tracking system is also a boon for taxpayers, who will no longer have to spend thousands of dollars paying for expensive audit time or replacing expensive assets lost through theft or embezzlement. Everyone wins when government organizations can operate more efficiently.

The subcategories of these industries are nearly endless: barcodes, for example, are already beginning to play a role in consumer nutrition, helping shoppers understand the health value of any barcoded item. As a result, barcodes and the tools needed to read them are proliferating at an alarming rate.

Generally speaking, asset management systems - including inventory and fixed assets - are established by barcoding and still have a long way to go in achieving the most efficient use of investment.

The above describes the use of barcode scanners in various scenarios. If you want to buy barcode scanners, please contact us.

Yanzeo is a professional custom barcode scanner manufacturer. Our professional research and exploration of smart technology over the years has brought together the technical essence of the barcode industry. Through the data interpretation of the changes in the information environment of modern society, we can effectively overcome the difficulties and issues of barcode RFID technology, develop and design industry-leading barcode RFID products, help customers calmly deal with the challenges brought by accurate identification and various identification obstacles, and always ensure customers' safety. Safe, good experience.