Growing a small brick and mortar business or a new online takes the same level of courage, dedication, and innovation. In this fast-paced world of e-commerce, business owners should efficiently keep track of the items they have in stock.
Barcodes have replaced pen and paper or the Microsoft excel inventory template. The scanner and barcode stickers are an inexpensive and straightforward system to incorporate into any size business—the equipment needed to get started small and unobtrusive. Should the scanners break down, they can quickly be brought to a PSION center for repair or adjustment.
Here are five advantages that barcoding can bring to your business.
Accuracy
A small hardware store or general merchandise shop contains hundreds of small items stacked on shelves and boxes. For many years, a person who has worked in this shop will know where everything is, but not a temp or a new hire. Adding a barcode also identifies the specific kind of wrench or screw he is holding. The computer paired to the scanner will determine the size, model, brand, and quantity when the item is scanned.
By using a barcode system, the computers will be able to identify hundreds of thousands of products in just a few seconds. Imagine if you are pushing out hundreds of orders per day. Having the right item sent to the correct customer is crucial every single time.
Growth and Scalability
Whatever your business’ size or age, it’s always a good time to improve and grow. Labeling and adding a barcode to hundreds of bicycle parts or thousands of retail items make your business ready to expand or grow any time of the year. The same system you use can adapt to you when your business grows, branch out, or add more items to your inventory.
Additionally, the transfer of technology is also easy. You can train new staff or team members and learn the barcoding system instead of memorizing all the products and the serial numbers or codes that go with them.
Efficiency and Saving Time
For bulk orders, you will only need to scan a product once and key in the number of items bought. There’s no need to enter each item purchased on the cash register. This frees up a lot of time for your staff as well as your customer. In physical stores, your customers can also use the scanners themselves to check and compare prices of items being sold instead of asking assistance from a merchandiser.
At the same time, scanning one item also lets you know if stocks are low and it’s time to reorder. You can set reminders within the system to alert you if you only have 10 cans of paint or one box of Venetian blinds left on stock. This way, you can restock fast-selling items ahead of time. This is especially useful if you have an online store and sell multiple items.
A Professional Edge
Having an automated and digitized system for keeping stock, prices, and organizing inventory makes your business appear more streamlined and professional. Customers who walk in will know that you’ve invested in your enterprise and want it to be on par with other shops or stores.
Today’s businesses need all the help they can get to grow and automate without spending too much on additional man power and equipment. Setting up a barcode inventory scanning system can help businesses expand and scale with minimal cost and effort.