Learning facts has always been a favorite pastime of individuals all over the world. One look at the gaming and entertainment aisles in a store quickly reveals that people really enjoy trivia and knowledge-based games. Business owners may often seek fun facts to use in conferences, staff meetings, and motivational speeches; however, many feel as if it is difficult to find interesting facts that are relevant to the business or product at hand. Business owners seeking facts and interesting trivia concerning barcodes and barcode systems may find the following information helpful. The next staff meeting might be a little more fun than everyone had anticipated if said facts are implemented into a trendy trivia game or other team-building activity.
Fact One: Barcodes and Barcode Systems Are Easy to Use
Most staff members and even some business owners are under the impression that barcodes and barcoding systems are difficult or even hard to use. Nothing could be further from the truth; barcodes and barcoding systems, such as the systems provided by Shopify, were created with the express purpose of making things easier for businesses. Many studies indicate that barcodes boost business productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness concerning inventory management. The points below might help clear up some of the “fog” concerning the myth that barcodes and barcode systems are difficult to integrate in “normal” businesses:
- Barcodes are comprised of letters and symbols that are encoded with the help of a series of black and white vertically stretched lines. The communication system of a barcode can be easily compared to binary code (i.e. the ones and zeroes so often talked about in beginning computer courses).
- The coding is simple. After a person scans a given product or good with a barcode scanner, said product or good nearly immediately appears on a computer string in the form of number strings. That’s it! There is very little about the ordeal that could be considered tricky or difficult. In reality, barcodes are one of the easiest tools to use within the scope of business.
- Barcodes are already on most products. Many business owners do not even have to worry about creating unique barcodes because most companies manufacture goods that are already “stamped” with a barcode.
Obviously, using barcode systems is not nearly as hard as one may think it to be. In fact, most employees are able to “catch on” to the new system in only a few days.
Fact Two: Barcodes Are Simplistic In Nature
Many individuals think that barcodes contain a host of complicated, hard-to-interpret information. However, this idea is due to a myth that began circulating in the early 2000s concerning Chinese processed foods. A set of misleading emails informed the public that the origin of a product or good could be determined by simply reading the first three numbers on a barcode. Obviously, this myth is not true. Barcodes are not universal, which means that a barcode in China does not have a standard numbering format that matches the hypothetical standard numbering format of another country. The idea that the first three letters in a barcode indicate something important is nothing but an urban myth. Take, for example, UPC barcodes (the barcodes that are most often used within the United States). UPC barcodes do not begin with a string of three numbers documenting origin. Instead, they simply act as a part of the whole barcode and do not signify anything “special.” While some barcoding systems in Europe, such as the EAN-13 system, indicate manufacturing origins, not all barcodes indicate something similar; in fact, EAN-13 barcoding mechanics are relatively rare when compared to the large number of barcodes that are circulating today.
Fact Three: Barcodes Are Not Satanic
Many people have heard about the “666” barcode myth. The number 666 is often viewed in a negative, superstitious light based on its supposed relation to satanic rituals (as indicated in the book of Revelation in the ancient text of the Bible). Many people think that “666” appears in every barcode and is somehow related to a large spiritual conspiracy. It seems obvious that this history theory is a little “hokey,” but many business owners would be surprised by how many people are wary of barcodes for this reason.
Reasoning for superstition aside, why do people think that barcodes contain the number 666? Barcodes are made up of three different parts: the product identification digits, the check digits, and the flagging digits (flagging digits are used to identify which organization assigned the barcode). The “666” barcode myth may have originated due to the flags or “guard bars” that are located at the beginning, mid-sector, and end of every standard barcode pattern.
Business owners can now walk away a little more informed about barcodes. The three facts stated may come in handy for real world application or perhaps even make good party conversation. If nothing else, readers can walk away knowing that barcodes are easy to use, simplistic and nature, and certainly not satanic. After all, barcodes are used every day in the business world – they deserve a little attention.
(Feature image via shutterstock web site)