Month: August 2018

Categories
Security Labels

A Look at the Benefits of Security Labels and Tamper Evident Tags

Red world map made from random characters and numbers. Hacking terrorism background concept

From police evidence to perishable foods, security labels are a must-have in every business sector.

If you’re wondering whether your company should invest in these labels and tags, the answer is simple: yes!

Although we tend to overlook those apparently innocuous stickers on the backs of our electronics and clothes, these labels play an integral role in every sector. Let’s take a closer look at what these labels are and how they benefit companies.

What Are Security Labels and Tamper-Evident Tags?

Nowadays, they come in various shapes, colors and sizes, but they’re in every mall across America. These labels contain electronic data about the item and generally display proof if the label’s been tampered with.

Some disintegrate completely. Others leave behind words after individuals break the seal. Some permit or deny electronic access.

It sounds simple, but these devices (usually the size of a small barcode) have ample room for creativity and success in business.

Why Do I Need Them?

If you want to protect your assets, increase efficiency and decrease waste, labels and tamper-evident tags are the way to go.

Customer Protection

Do you sell products? A security tag provides peace of mind to your customers, who want new, unused items in exchange for their cash.

It’s a gentle reminder that their money is well-spent and their merchandise handled with care. Imagine how horrible it would be purchasing a drink with no indication of whether or not someone else took a sip.

Compliance

Some labels are necessary to adhere to government and insurance regulations. In the food and health industry especially, it’s vital for companies to comply with these laws.

Tamper-evident seals provide an inexpensive way to comply. They are even recommended by the FDA on food packaging.

Several items that require seals include the following:

  • Cosmetic liquid
  • Oral hygiene products
  • Vaginal products
  • Contact lens solutions
  • Over-the-counter drugs

Investing in these tags may also lower company insurance costs because there is less of a chance of merchandise getting lost or stolen.

Track High-Value Products

Have you ever wondered how the USPS knows where your package is at? It uses a label.

Security labels are sometimes created purely for tracking purposes. Companies scan the label through its journey and the information uploads to data management systems. If something disappears, the label lets businesses pinpoint the last place it was scanned.

For companies handling valuable merchandise, this is an amazing tool. Not only can businesses follow the product from the manufacturer to the retailer’s shelf, but they can also provide necessary authentication for consumers or use the information on the label in the event of a recall.

Theft Reduction

You know the ones: those white squares that make the shirt you’re trying on look weird.

These are yet another example of security labels, and they are great for reducing shrinkage. (In the business world, “theft” is referred to as “shrinkage.”) Shrinkage amounts to about $26 billion lost in the US each year.

The most common stickers are the ones that make the store’s alarm go haywire if the cashier forgets to remove them or someone tries to do some “shrinkage” themselves.

It’s estimated security label stickers reduce theft by as much as 60%.

Internal Security

In addition to fortifying your company against outsiders, security stickers protect valuables from internal personnel. If an item is taken off the grounds, frequencies alert owners.

Furthermore, if products mysteriously go missing from stored inventory, this is quickly detected. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags make it easy to detect inventory up to 300 feet away.

If employees are conducting swift and frequent inventory assessments, the information received alerts them to the problem. Simple investigations using previous data, such as times and products recorded previously, make finding the culprit a breeze.

Security labels are so useful police departments utilize them, too. To ensure no one tampers with evidence, officials place tags on confiscated drugs and other crime-scene objects.

Easy Inventory

All of that is great for internal security, but it also makes taking inventory infinitely easier. No more crouching and tugging open stacks of boxes to count how many items are on a shelf.

Instead, employees simply scan the codes and the information is uploaded. Consequently, workers spend their energy and time elsewhere.

Additionally, if individuals need to know the contents of a particular box, all they need to do is scan the label. This is particularly useful in law enforcement.

This means a lot fewer headaches when the time for ordering rolls around. Rather than laboring over numbers, managers quickly assess what is needed, reducing waste.

Increased Safety

If you ever are a patient at a hospital, you’ll be outfitted with a bracelet to add to your fancy gown. This bracelet has a label that contains all your previous medical history so doctors can access it efficiently.

They also help staff keep track of you and verify your identity. In addition, the tags make safely handling medication a breeze.

Nurses and practitioners need only scan a medicine’s National Drug Code to confirm its contents and dosage, eliminating errors. And with the tamper-evident tags, it’s obvious if the medicine’s been tampered with.

In healthcare, security tags are priceless, but this isn’t the only way seals increase safety.

A new tag developed purely for airlines indicates if a seal is broken on life vests, making it simple to tell if they are functional for each passenger prior to takeoff.

Evidence for Warranties

Those stickers customers love to hate on their printers and electronics are an easy way for companies to see if a product was altered. This saves the business from fixing errors created by the customer during a warranty’s timeframe.

Especially for electronics, this is a way to demonstrate proof a customer caused damage to an item.

Versatility

Companies like ours create barcodes to suit your needs. From safety to inventory, healthcare to law enforcement, our security labels benefit companies across the country.

If you’re interested in giving your company all the advantages these tags offer, contact us today. We’ll find the perfect label to make your business prosper.

Categories
UPC Labels

Fact or Fiction? 6 Surprising UPC Label Myths

upc label

If you sell products, have you considered using UPC labels?

With millions of products in the world, UPC barcodes help identify your products among the masses.

What is a UPC code? Each UPC (short for Universal Product Code) code is a unique series of numbers and stripes specific to one product. These codes help identify and track products.

While UPC barcodes might seem unnecessary or too confusing, it’s not as overwhelming as you think. As your business grows, good inventory management is critical.

How do you know if UPC labels are a good idea for your products or business? Let’s debunk six surprising UPC label myths.

Myth 1: Barcodes Are Difficult To Produce

Pick up any product and you’ll see a UPC barcode somewhere on the package or container. They appear identical to codes on other products, but each code is unique.

UPC barcodes are standardized for tracking products. Because there are standards when producing a unique code, it’s not difficult to create a code for your product.

But there are a few steps to follow when creating a code.

The process starts by applying for a GS1 Company Prefix. You’ll only do this once. It is unique to your company and is part of every barcode for your products.

After you have your code, you’ll assign a unique product number to each product.

Next, decide what type of barcode is best for your product. These code types are standard. Use an online tool to help you decide what works best.

With codes in hand, you’re ready to print labels.

Myth 2: It Costs Too Much

On the contrary, using UPC labels saves money in several ways.

You’ll save time (and employee hours) using an inventory management system based on UPC barcodes. Easily search for the products your customers need. Avoid overstocking products.

You’ll also reduce the opportunity of theft. When products are properly marked and tracked, they are less appealing to thieves.

While the initial investment in equipment is an expense, UPC barcode printers and scanners are affordable. Invest in the equipment to save money over time.

Myth 3: I Don’t Sell Through Major Retailers . . .

. . . so I don’t need codes.

Even if you don’t sell to major retailers, your products compete with their products.

Aside from the benefits of tracking products with UPC barcodes, keeping up with the “big boys” using codes helps your products look “legit”.

You also want to run your local store in a professional way.

UPC barcode labels also help you handle customers efficiently at checkout. Scanning a code vs. handwriting an invoice is faster and is more accurate.

Myth 4: I only Sell Online . . .

. . . so I don’t need codes.

Even if only selling online, add a code to your product. Again, a code helps you track inventory specific for online sales.

Design your code specific to online use when you create the code. When you create your GS1 registered code, you’ll have the option of creating a code designed for online products.

Having a UPC code on your online products helps consumers easily find (and share) your products.

Myth 5: Codes From Third-Party Sellers Are Fine

No, they’re not.

Many third-party UPC barcode retailers sell pre-produced codes. It’s tempting to save the time and hassle of creating your own codes.

Third-party barcode retailers often sell labels at a discount vs. ordering codes assigned through the GS1 registry.

You also have no way of knowing if third-party codes are unique. Remember, part of your UPC codes is your company prefix.

Third-party codes don’t include your unique company prefix. While third-party codes might accurately identify the product (if similar products exist), the code won’t link to your company.

Protect yourself and your products by creating your own codes through the GS1 registry.

Myth 6: QR and ISBN Codes Are the Same as UPC

Not all codes are the same.

Using different types of codes does not replace the function of UPC barcodes.

QR codes (short for Quick Response codes) store information for consumers. Use a cell phone to scan a QR code and you’ll land on a website with information about a product, a sale, or a promotion.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number) Codes are specific to books, CDs, software, and videos.

UPC barcodes contain information for tracking products for retailers–not for consumers, like the QR code. Although consumers can search for your products using your UPC barcodes, the primary function of UPC codes is for retailers.

Use a QR code to add value to your product for the consumer in addition to the UPC barcode for tracking your products.

Got Your Code? Print Your UPC Label

After you’ve generated your UPC barcode, you’re ready to print and scan your UPC label.

Printing

Know which type of label works best for your product.

You need a clean, precise image on your label for accurate scanning. And the label needs to stay on your product without coming off or fading.

A great option for the best UPC labels is thermal printing.

Thermal labels do not use ink. Thermal printers don’t use toner cartridges or ink ribbons, making this is a cost-effective way to print labels.

Labels print quickly using thermal printing. And printers need less maintenance than traditional printers.

These labels are ideal for UPC barcodes. The image is clear and won’t smear.

Scanning

Printed labels are of no use if you can’t scan them. Choose the right scanner for your needs.

Scanners are wireless (connecting through wi-fi or Bluetooth). Or choose one that connects to your computer through USB.

Be sure you choose a durable scanner that holds up when dropped or bumped.

We Can Help

We know barcodes and printing is intimidating at first. There are a lot of factors to consider.

Properly marking and tracking inventory is critical to running a successful business.

Let us know how we can help! We handle everything from continuing education to equipment maintenance and repair. Our priority is your business success.

Categories
Uncategorized

Asset Inventory vs Inventory Management: The Key to Better Business

Sexy young woman doing inventory studio shot

It is a proven fact: businesses who track their IT assets realize up to a 30% reduction in the amount spent on those assets during the first year of use. And that is IT assets, alone.

If you can save so much money by keeping an asset inventory, why doesn’t everyone do it? It could be as simple as not understanding what an asset is and why they are so important to track.

For perfect clarity on the subject, you must first understand what they are not: Assets are not the same thing as inventory. Still, people often confuse the two.

Everyone knows you should track your inventory. In fact, only 8% of companies who have inventory don’t track it. Read on to learn more about assets and why it is as important to watch your assets as it is to track your inventory.

What is Inventory and Inventory Management?

Inventory is the items you sell or the items used to build what you sell. Inventory management is the use of a standardized method to track the movement of parts and products through a company.

Examples of information to track when evaluating Inventory Include:

  • The vendor from whom you purchased the inventory item
  • The amount spent to buy the item
  • The amount for which the item sells
  • The physical location of the item while it waits to sell
  • Quantity on Hand
  • Reorder Point

What are Assets and Asset Inventory?

Assets are the infrastructure of your company. They are the machines that build your inventory items, the buildings that house those machines and even the employees who run them.

If inventory is what you sell, then assets are the items you own. That makes the asset inventory a literal inventory of all your assets.

Examples of information to track when evaluating assets Include:

  • The vendor from whom you purchased the asset
  • When you purchased the asset
  • How much the asset cost
  • Depreciation of the asset
  • Where the asset is located and/or who currently has it
  • When preventative maintenance was last conducted and when it is next due.
  • Contract and warranty details
  • Who has been trained to use the asset

It is also important to note that assets are not consumables. An item must be of value to be an asset. Consumables are generally items of little value used up in the process of day to day operations.

Consumables are shipping labels and the oil used to grease production machines. Track these items like you would inventory and assets to save money.

Is Inventory an Asset?

While not all assets are inventory, all inventory items are assets.

Inventory items in your possession are assets; something of value you own. Once sold, the cost of the item becomes an expense and the sale amount becomes income.

Non-inventory assets will never generate income. For this reason, it is important to separate inventory and asset inventory when tracking them.

Inventory vs. Inventory Asset

There are many similarities between assessing standard inventory and asset inventory. The difference comes into play when you consider which part of your business it effects.

Managing inventory improves profit margins while monitoring asset inventory improves your company as a whole. But how they do this?

That is the real question.

Effective use of Resources

Whether you track your inventory or your assets, you will learn to use your resources more effectively.

With regard to inventory, you will receive insights into which items you use most frequently in product development. You can also observe trends. Perhaps you use more widgets than gadgets most of the time, but around Christmas, you need more gadgets.

Assessing the effective use of assets is as productive. How much do you actually use that printer? Do you need another? Would it be better to rent another printer at certain times of the year?

All these questions and so many more can be answered by a detailed inventory of your assets.

Optimization

It is pretty obvious that inventory tracking will optimize inventory usage. But which parts of the business does asset inventory optimize?

The answer: everything else.

Earlier, we called assets the infrastructure of a business. It is time now to revisit that statement.

An infrastructure is the physical components that make up an entity. If you are able to catalog your infrastructure, then you will be able to tell where all your company’s moving parts currently are.

You will make more efficient moves, create more accurate forecasts and minimize damages.

Why Track Asset Inventory?

Tracking inventory assets allows you to budget for the day to day expenses of running a business. It also gives you an accurate picture of what your business is worth, which always makes for happy investors.

Understanding the value of your assets gives a clearer picture of how much money you spent to earn profits for any given time frame. This knowledge gives you the power to see money saving, or money depleting, trends.

Additionally, you will know where all your asset items are within your company. When you need something, you can retrieve it thereby increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Where do I start?

The execution of a new process is always the hardest part. There is so much setup, but once done, everything gets so much easier. That is how it will be when you first start using an asset inventory.

Labels and a scanning system will go a long way to automating both your regular inventory and your asset inventory tracking. The barcodes will hold most of the information for you, so you can reduce manual entry and curb errors.

If you would like a consultation to discuss which labels and scanners would work best for your company, please do not hesitate to reach out!