June 26, 2024
5 minutes reading
We live in a highly barcoded world where any piece of information can be turned into a sequence of white and black stripes or squares. We at HandiFox, too, stand by the belief that what can be barcoded should be barcoded. That said, we do understand that barcoding can be a substantial investment for small businesses and shouldn’t be taken lightly. In this blog post, we’ll cover the pros and cons of camera-based scanning and dedicated barcode scanners based on small business barcode inventory management needs.
Mobile barcode scanning
Pros:
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Zero time spent on integrating barcodes into your workflows. You don’t have to scrape the market for suitable models of barcode scanners, fuss over their compatibility with your existing equipment, or deal with warranty and setup. All you need is to have barcode scanner software on your phone, preferably as part of your inventory management app.
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Inexpensive. Barcode readers’ pricing falls within the range of $150-1500, depending on your needs. Mobile scanning doesn’t call for the newest smartphone models - you can make do with older ones (Android or iOS) and end up saving big on barcode scanning.
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Flexibility. Using a camera allows for more flexibility regarding the types of barcodes that can be scanned, including 2D barcodes like QR codes, which some barcode scanners may or may not support.
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Software integration. These days it’s hard to come by an inventory management app that wouldn’t offer a built-in barcode system that helps look up, count, or add products on transactions. Not all inventory apps, however, offer the same level of usability.
Cons:
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Speed. A phone’s camera can’t beat the speed and accuracy of a dedicated barcode scanner. This comes to the fore when you have to scan huge volumes of products in challenging conditions.
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Battery life. Using the camera on a smartphone or device for barcode scanning can drain the battery more quickly than using a dedicated barcode reader.
Conclusion:
Mobile scanning works well for small companies on a tight budget, possibly with fewer than 1000 SKUs. It could be a great stopgap for growing businesses that care about accuracy but can’t afford pricier barcode scanning tools just yet.
Barcode Scanners
Pros:
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Superior performance. Barcode scanners are a lot more performant when reading barcodes compared to using a camera on a smartphone or other device. This is a deciding factor when it comes to high scanning volumes.
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Accuracy. Barcode scanners are optimized for reading barcodes accurately, even in challenging conditions such as low light or when the barcode is damaged or poorly printed.
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Durability. Barcode scanners are typically designed to withstand harsh environments and frequent use, making them more durable than smartphones.
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Ease of use. Once you’ve tied a barcode scanner to your app, consider it to be a part of your inventory management system. Whenever products need counting, cross-checking, or finding, instead of waiting for your phone’s camera to focus on a barcode, all you have to do is make a beep with your barcode scanner.
Cons:
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Cost. Dedicated barcode scanners can be more expensive upfront compared to using a smartphone or other device with a camera. And don’t forget barcode label printers and receipt printers - it could total up to a couple of thousand dollars of inventory management equipment.
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Compatibility. Not all barcode scanners easily integrate with existing systems and software. You have to check with your software provider and the scanner’s specs to make sure it supports specific communication protocols (like SPP for Androids or MFi for iOS devices ).
Conclusion
A dedicated barcode scanner a superior option for businesses with higher scanning volumes. They are a better value for money as their durability is way higher than that of smartphones.
The choice between using a camera on a smartphone versus a dedicated barcode scanner depends on factors such as speed, accuracy, cost, durability, and integration requirements. For those who’ve set their minds on barcode scanners, we’ve curated a list of the best models that will help you save time going through a huge selection of available options. Click here to get it for free.