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"Simply Barcodes has been a great resource for us year after year, whether we're purchasing an individual UPC or multiple barcodes at once. As we develop new products, we need a quick, trusted, and simple way to get new UPC codes. The UPC codes always arrived within 24 hours, usually faster, and the high-res barcode images have worked perfectly with all of our product packaging. I highly recommend Simply Barcodes, and we will continue to order from them in the future."
Keith Nothacker, President
Breathalyzer.net
San Francisco, CA |
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"I recently purchased several barcodes from Simply Barcodes, and I was very pleased with the service you provided. You were friendly, efficient, and prompt. I had my barcodes quickly, and I appreciate the fact that you took the time to follow up on my order. I will definitely use Simply Barcodes the next time I need to buy barcodes."
Laura K. Graham
International Paper - Foodservice Division
Memphis, TN |
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"I was not sure where to turn to and you gave me all the information we needed. You delivered the UPC codes quickly and made the process of getting our product ready for the retail market really simple."
Matt Huelskamp
St. Louis Public Television
St. Louis, MO, USA |
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"I have had nothing but positive experiences with Simply Barcodes. The turn time and barcode files have been wonderful. I always know who to turn to when the need arises."
Matt Wills
Torani |
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"My experience with Simply Barcodes was pleasant. The staff was friendly, the process simple, and the product arrived on time! We look forward to working with you again."
Leontine Mullins
New Orleans Police Department
New Orleans, LA, USA |
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"The NASA space agency is using your UPC barcode now and we have had no complaints at all. Simply Barcodes did a very efficient job for us. The staff was knowledgeable, fast, and very friendly."
John Shattuck
Shat-Tech
Erie, CO, USA |
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"Simply Barcodes was great to deal with. We urgently required a large number of UPC codes for our wireless products and the response were fast, friendly, and efficient. We will certainly purchase all of our UPC codes from Simply Barcodes in the future."
Rogers Communications, Inc.
Toronto, ON, Canada |
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"As a new start-up Company, being able to call on the expertise of the team at Simply Barcodes has been a huge help to us, we have launched over 20 new products this year, with another 20+ to come in Q4, all globally, and the team has been extremely supportive of these efforts to ensure we are compliant with both UPC and EAN requirements around the world. We owe them a huge thanks!!"
Jerry Simons
SMS Audio - by 50 CENT
Delray Beach, FL, USA |
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Are you confused how and where to buy Legal UPC Codes? Not sure whom to trust?
We hope that the information below will help guide you through the process of obtaining UPC codes for your products. These answers below cover some of the most common questions about UPC codes that we have heard from our many customers over the years.
Feel free to call us at 877-872-2060 (toll free for USA/Canada) or
+1 404-869-0701 (international) to talk to one of our barcode experts who will answers any additional questions you have about purchasing a UPC code.
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What is a UPC barcode? And how does it work?
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Universal Product Codes (also known as GTIN-12) appear as lines (bars) of varying widths representing the series of numbers commonly shown below the bars.
Barcode scanners, as you will know them from your favorite retailers, read the bars and convert them back to the 12-digit UPC number that they represent. This number is then looked up within the retailer's inventory system to find the corresponding product name and price that you provided them with when you signed your agreement for them to carry your product.
In short, the UPC is a 12-digit unique code for your product represented by scannable bars.
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So, how do UPC codes work? How does information get associated with my barcode symbol?
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You purchase a UPC code(s). There is NO information other than the official UPC barcode number stored or encrypted into your barcode symbol. |
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You print the UPC barcode image directly on your product or order pre-printed barcode labels from Simply Barcodes. |
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You place your product with a retailer/distributor. |
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Each retailer/distributor asks you to provide information about you and your product. |
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The retailer/distributor enters the information in their sales/inventory management system and associates it with your product's UPC number. |
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When your product is scanned at the register, the scanner reads the UPC number from the barcode, looks up your product's price and description in the retailer's database, and your sale is recorded. |
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How many UPC codes do I need?
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In order for your retailer to properly identify your products in their inventory system, a different UPC barcode is required for each product. For example, if you are selling two flavors of bottled water in small, medium, and large, then you will need six different UPC codes. Simply Barcodes offers special discounts on bulk orders. Please call for details.
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Do you require a tax identification number/social security number?
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No, companies are not required to supply a tax ID number and individuals are not required to supply a social security number.
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Do you offer a discount for charitable organizations?
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Definitely!
If your company is a U.S.-based 501(c)3 federal tax-exempt organization or a Canadian Registered Charity then you automatically qualify for a substantial discount on our UPC codes through our Raising the Bar charity program. Charities outside of the US and Canada please contact us for details regarding discounts on our EAN codes. Charities such as Red Cross, American Way, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity and many more have used our UPC codes in their fundraising campaigns such as point of sale donation cards, tear-offs, and coupons at various retailers as well as flyers at charity events. Using barcodes significantly streamlines donations, awareness building, and communicating with prospective and existing donors. To see some of our clients and their testimonials click the "Charitable Giving" tab on the left. Please call us at 1-404-869-0701 to discuss your needs and the exact benefits of this exclusive Raising the Bar program.
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How do I purchase from Simply Barcodes?
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We offer several purchase options:
- Place your order directly on the secured order forms on this website using your American Express, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover.
- Or, call us and place the order by phone by calling 1-404-869-0701 or toll-free within the USA/Canada (877) UPC-2060.
- Or, use your PayPal account by sending funds to paypal@simplybarcodes.com.
- Or, mail us a check/money order along with a completed order form to the address shown in the Contact section.
- Or, call us to arrange a wire transfer or ACH transfer.
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What happens after I complete my purchase?
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Upon completion of your order, you will receive an email confirmation of your UPC barcode purchase. |
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Simply Barcodes then assigns your official UPC numbers from our database of official codes issued by the UCC (now called GS1) and submit them to our Graphic Design department. |
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The digital barcode images are generated from the numbers you purchased. |
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Your UPC barcodes are emailed to you as an attachment. |
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In what format do I receive my barcodes?
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You will receive two emails from Simply Barcodes. The first email is your receipt and purchase confirmation for your barcode purchase. Later in the day, you will receive a second email to which your barcode graphics are attached. For your convenience, we include your barcode graphic in three different formats so that your graphic artist, printing company, or manufacturing facility can work with your barcode graphic no matter what software system they use:
- EPS Format - This layered, vector EPS file is the preferred format of most graphic designers due to its quality and versatility, particularly for resizing. EPS is an "exchange" format, not necessarily associated with one specific graphics program. An exchange format is one intended for multiple applications to be able to open.
- TIFF Format - This raster TIFF file is not suitable for significant resizing. It is popular among graphic artists.
- JPEG Format - This uncompressed, high-quality JPEG file is the most common file format. All computers can open a JPEG. However, it is not suitable for resizing.
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When do I receive my UPC code?
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The turn-around time is often within an hour.
All orders received before 4 p.m. Eastern Time on business days are completed the same day. Orders placed after 4 p.m. will be processed next business day. If you require RUSH completion, please call 1-877-872-2060 (toll-free) or +1-404-869-0701 (international) to make arrangements.
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Do I need to do anything else with my UPC code once I receive it?
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Only a few retail products require additional steps.
CDs and DVDs: Audio CDs should be submitted to the Nielsen Rating's SoundScan so that they can track sales for the purpose of Billboard charting. Our UPC codes are compatible with the SoundScan system. At the time of publication of this FAQ, SoundScan registration was still free of charge. You will however need to obtain ISRC Codes, in addition to UPC Codes, for your SoundScan registration. (Additionally, it is a myth circulating that CDs and DVDs require a specific ending number. We will be glad to show you a list of recent DVDs and CDs that show various ending numbers, proving this rumor is completely false.)
Books: In addition to your UPC code, bookstores will require you to add an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) code. Obtain your ISBN number from ISBN.org and have Simply Barcodes create your ISBN barcode graphic at a cost of only $25.
Magazines: Magazines require the addition of a 2-digit issue code to indicate the issue number for a given year. For example: A quarterly magazine has four issues per year and therefore requires the four issue codes 01, 02, 03, and 04.
CBD Products & Industrial Hemp: CBD products require a UPC Code for the retail (Point-of-Sale) identification plus a QR Code for the content identification requirement imposed by some States.
Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, & Surgery Products: Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Surgical Products, and some Beauty & Cosmetic Products require UPN Codes (not UPC!) for the retail (Point-of-Sale) identification. In addition to the UPN barcode, a Data Matrix Barcode is required under the FDA UDI rules for medical devices and suggested for the Traceability Identification of Pharmaceuticals (under the several initiatives including the Canadian Pharmaceutical Bar Coding Project), Surgical Products, and some Beauty & Cosmetic Products.
Produce: Single units of fruits and vegetables need UPC numbers. However, these are encoded using a Databar (RSS) barcode. This type of barcode is used because it can encode the 12-digit UPC number in a very small space.
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How can I get help with putting my UPC code on my product?
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If you would like to order pre-printed barcode labels, please click label printing. All orders received before 2 p.m. EST on business days are completed the same day and shipped for free within the continental U.S.
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Can I print my labels in black and white?
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Barcodes do not have to be printed in black and white. For more information on the subject visit this great color guide.
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What dimensions should my UPC code be?
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If you are having the UPC code printed directly on your product, here is some helpful information:
The nominal size of a UPC symbol is 1.469" wide x 1.02" high. The minimum recommended size is 80% of the nominal size or 1.175" wide. The maximum recommended size is 200% of the nominal size or 2.938" wide. Width is much more important than height. The width influences the distance between the bars and how well the laser can distinguish between them. Simply Barcodes strongly recommends test-scanning any UPC code prototype produced by your manufacturing facility before going into mass production.
(Please note that all of Simply Barcodes' pre-printed barcode label orders are test-scanned and confirmed scannable by our equipment. Click here to learn more about our label printing service.)
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My business is outside of the US, can I still purchase from Simply Barcodes?
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Yes, you can purchase your UPC or EAN barcodes from Simply Barcodes. If your product will be sold in the North American market then Simply Barcodes recommends that you purchase UPC barcodes. If you plan to sell only outside of North America then you may want to consider purchasing EAN barcodes through our EAN website.
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Does the barcode tell me (or others) in which country a product was manufactured?
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We are asked this question daily. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on the internet and in e-mails that are going around. This happens especially frequently at times of product recalls or food safety scares.
The truth of the matter is very simple: No, it is absolutely not possible to tell in which country a product has been made by looking at the barcode.
We have put together a very detailed explanation of why this is not possible along with a recommendation on how you might tell where a product comes from here.
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What are EAN barcodes? Do I really need one?
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The EAN barcode system is used outside of the United States and Canada. EAN barcodes look similar to UPC codes but are 13 digits long. An EAN barcode (also known as GTIN-13) is just another retail product barcode. It works much like the UPC barcode.
For companies sending goods to the USA and Canada:
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We recommend that you use UPC codes. As of Jan 2005, all American retailers were scheduled to adjust their systems to be able to read the additional 13th digit in EAN barcodes. However, we cannot confirm that all retailers have complied with this changeover. Therefore, we recommend using UPC instead of EAN barcodes for the North American market to insure universal compatibility.
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For companies exporting goods to countries outside of North America:
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In the past, we explained that the UPC code is 12 digits long and can be read both by UPC and by EAN scanners since the EAN system is set to accept UP TO 13 digits. Therefore, the UPC barcode is ideal for worldwide product roll-out since they can be read universally. Recent developments, however, have caused us to change our recommendation. We now suggest that you do use an EAN barcode on those export goods. Even though the EAN system has the technical ability to read UPC codes, we have received an increasing number of reports lately that retailers in Europe and Asia are requesting that goods delivered to them feature an EAN barcode. You may purchase EAN codes from us here: www.OfficialEANcode.com.
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What if I am selling to The Kroger Co., Macys, Inc., Wal-Mart Stores, Sears Brands, LLC or other stores that require GS1 membership?
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In the case of these few retailers, you will have no choice but to lease your UPC numbers directly from GS1. These stores require that you have your own GS1 membership.
However, once you have obtained your prefix number from GS1, you can still return to us to have your digital UPC barcode images created using the GS1 numbers. You would also want to use our firm to have your master carton barcodes (SCC-14 codes) created. Large retailers generally require that you properly label your shipments with SCC-14 barcodes.
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I am still not sure, is there an outside source where I can check to see that Simply Barcodes is legitimate?
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Simply Barcodes is a BBB Accredited Business and was awarded an A+ rating by the Atlanta chapter of the Better Business Bureau.
Another reference that we can offer are the barcode experts. GEORGE J. LAURER, the inventor of UPC barcode, once highlighted Simply Barcode on his website as "The best company I have found to date." Industry expert Russ Adams also noted Simply Barcodes on his website.
The best references, however, we can offer you are our customers. Please read our many client testimonials. Google any of these companies, ask for the person listed under the testimonial, and have him or her share with you the actual experience that they have had with Simply Barcodes.
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I need to speak with someone who can help me?
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Our customer service team is available to take your call, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday at +1-404-869-0701 (international) or 877-872-2060 (toll-free).
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