Attention Target Shoppers: Decode a Barcode

I am SO excited about this! My good blogging buddy Ginger over at Attention Target Shoppers has done it again! This is a great article and very informative. Thanks Ginger!!!

This comes straight from ATS:

The definition of a barcode from Wikipedia:

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows certain data on certain products. Originally, barcodes represented data in the widths (lines) and the spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1D (1 dimensional) barcodes or symbologies. They also come in patterns of squares, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns within images termed 2D (2 dimensional) matrix codes or symbologies. Although 2D systems use symbols other than bars, they are generally referred to as barcodes as well. Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers, or scanned from an image by special software.

The first UPC marked item to be scanned in the U.S. was at Marsh’s Supermarket in Troy, Ohio. It was at 8:01 a.m. on June 26, 1974. The item? A 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum! Now you see barcodes on just about anything and everything. If you see a package you can take it to the bank that there will be a barcode someplace on the package.

Universal Product Code (UPC) is a barcode symbol that is widely used and it is not only used at the checkout as some may think. Most products are tracked through the entire order process, through transit, and also used to track quantities in inventory and  through the checkout process. When manufacturers issue a coupon, it is coded to match the products or “families” of products. A portion of the code on the product UPC has to match a portion of the coupon UPC code on all scanned items.  If this does not occur, then the coupon savings cannot be determined or credited.

There are five sections and a total of 12 numbers on the majority of all UPC barcodes.  You may see a second UPC barcode on a coupon called an “extended code. Each section of the UPC number will help match coupons to products and determine the value of the coupon.  The following is a description of the 5 sections of a basic coupon code as displayed in the diagram above:

Number System Character (NSC)

All coupons should begin with the NSC or Number System Character of 5.

Manufacturers Number

A  five digit (12345 above) which identifies the manufacturer and should match the manufacturer number on the product.

Family Code

This next set of three numbers (678 above) is used to verify that the shopper has purchased the product which applies to the coupon.  A manufacturer assigns family codes to each of their products. This is why/how a coupon works on more than one product.

Value Code

The next two numbers which follow the family code is called the value code and determines the value of the coupon.  The value of the coupon in the diagram above is 90 cents.

Check Digit

The final number is called a check digit. All UPC numbers contain a check digit which is automatically calculated based on the eleven preceding numbers on the UPC symbol.

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Understanding a UPC code may help you at checkout if there is ever a dispute about the value of a coupon or whether it applies.  When you are told you can’t use a coupon based on what is in the picture, you now know how to educate those that want to tell you that the coupons doesn’t apply. You can now point to the family code on the coupon and match it up to the family code on the product. Manufacturers KNOW what they are doing when they code up a coupon or there would be no such family code. Don’t let a cashier dictate what you buy based on the picture in a coupon.

Print this out. It could be a valuable tool at the checkout stand.

Want more? Check out HowStuffWorks.com.

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