Archive | Barcode Print Quality

Hidden Barcode Pitfalls: Printing from PDFs

Printing barcodes from PDF files can present significant challenges that often go unnoticed until it’s too late. Unlike text and images, poor barcode print quality isn’t always apparent to the naked eye, leading to non-scannable barcodes that can cause substantial financial penalties. Companies like Amazon impose a $0.25 charge for each item requiring manual relabeling, […]

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Barcode Compliance Issues: Smudging & Abrasion

“How Could This Possibly Be My Responsibility?” said the Supplier Who Received The Offset Receiving barcode compliance offset charges quite often makes suppliers cringe.  We should know because our testing division, Identification Labs, administers and validates barcode compliance charges for many retailers and distributors. The companies that utilize our services trust our lab to provide […]

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Barcode Offset Expense Charges in 2024

For over twenty-six years, we have administered barcode certification and compliance programs for major US retailers. The retail industry has dramatically changed in recent years, and the focus on supply chain efficiency has never been greater. Many suppliers view barcode compliance charges as a “profit center” for retailers, but as an unbiased testing center, we […]

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Difference Between Barcode Testing & Barcode Certification

Barcode Testing and Barcode Certification Explained In today’s retail and manufacturing sectors, barcodes play a crucial role in ensuring efficient supply chains and retail operations. They are essential to inventory management, tracking, and accurate data capture at point-of-sale systems. As such, the quality of the barcode, both on items and logistic cartons, is paramount. But […]

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Barcode Compliance Extends Beyond Poor Print Quality

Our barcode compliance division is seeing a growing percentage of problematic shipments involving shipping label placement issues, rather than barcode format or print quality infractions. Placement-related infractions can range from placing labels on an incorrect carton panel, wrapping barcodes around corners, placing labels over a flap seam, and even placing labels in areas in which […]

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Increased Barcode Compliance Charges in 2023

For over twenty-five years, we have been administering barcode certification and compliance programs for major US retailers. The retail industry has dramatically changed over the years and the focus on supply chain efficiency has never been greater. Some suppliers view barcode compliance charges as a “profit center” for retailers but as an unbiased testing center, […]

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Barcode Chargebacks Caused By Abrasion & Smudging

“How Could This Possibly Be My Responsibility?” said Supplier Who Received The Offset Receiving barcode compliance offset charges quite often makes suppliers cringe.  We should know because our testing division, Identification Labs, administers and validates barcode compliance charges for many retailers and distributors. The companies which utilize our services trust our lab to provide unbiased […]

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Why Is My Barcode Not Scanning At My Local Store?

Our GS1 barcode consultants fields questions every day involving UPC identification and barcodes. One of the most frequently asked questions is “Why is my barcode not scanning when I take it to my local store?” It is very common for someone to obtain a GS1 UPC barcode and immediately take a printed sample to a […]

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Barcode Compliance Charges Are on The Rise

Since 1997 we have been administering barcode compliance programs for major retailers and there is always a significant increase in logistical barcode infractions during the fall.  Due to apparent training challenges, the recent volume of non-compliant barcodes and subsequent offset expenses has been astronomical. Many suppliers view barcode compliance charges as a “profit center” for […]

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Death by a Thousand Minor Shipping Label Offsets

A $1,000 compliance offset (hopefully) grabs your attention. But a steady stream of $50 offsets, and a handful of sub-$200 here and there? Maybe they get looked at, maybe they don’t, maybe they are just the “cost of doing business”. But the truth is, they add up. If you are receiving GS1-128 (UCC-128) shipping label […]

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