Category: Food Service

Barcode labels and barcode scanners offer cost saving and better tracking for food related industries.

Why Proper Product Labels Are so Essential

Post author By Dane Titsworth
Post date April 4, 2018

Are you about to start selling your own products?

Then you’ll need to know exactly why product labels are so important.

It may seem surprising, but the right product labels can actually make or break your business. No matter how great your product is, many people make purchasing decisions based on visuals. Without the right look for your labels, people will pass right by your products without a second look.

Luckily, it’s easy to design great product labels that will help you make the sales you really want. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly why labels are so important, and how to design the perfect labels for your brand. Keep reading to learn more!

1. Show Your Ingredients

If you’re selling a product that’s edible, or maybe a personal care product like makeup, your customers will definitely want to know what’s in it. Your product labels should make your ingredients clear and easy for customers to read.

If your high-quality ingredients are an important feature of your brand, you can even highlight that fact on the label. Maybe your brand avoids dangerous additives that big-name brands use. Make that clear on your labels, and you’ll be sure to catch the attention of new customers.

2. Give Appropriate Health Warnings

Even high-quality, healthy products can be dangerous to certain customers, such as people with allergies to one of your ingredients. When you add the appropriate warnings to your labels, you can protect both your customers and your brand.

The last thing any small business needs is a lawsuit from a customer who was harmed by a poorly labeled product.

However, a good label can help legally protect your business. This also shows that you care about your customers. Even if a customer doesn’t sue, you can still avoid the bad reviews that come from unhappy customers.

3. Provide Directions

Does your product need a how-to component?

Answer common customer questions and make your product easy for customers to enjoy by adding the right labels.

If you notice customers frequently have a hard time figuring out your product, use the label to provide the information that will improve their experience. The right directions help ensure customers enjoy what you’re selling. You don’t want bad reviews simply because someone was using your products wrong.

4. Highlight Savings

If your product offers a great deal for the price, you can use your label to highlight its value. And if your product costs more than the competitors’ products, but is worth it for other reasons, you can also use your label to give customers the information that will help you make the best choice.

For example, maybe you’re selling a brand of dog food that costs more than mainstream brands, because it uses only whole, natural ingredients. On your label, you can highlight some of the benefits these ingredients will provide, such as improving a pet’s health. Customers will know that buying your brand will help them save money on vet bills later on.

5. Target Your Demographic

You probably want a specific group of people to notice your product – the people who are most likely to buy it. With your label, you can use design to target that specific demographic.

For example, if your product is aimed at teens, use colors and imagery that will appeal to them. If your product is aimed at senior citizens, on the other hand, you might use a more conservative palette and simpler images to get their attention.

Even the wording on your label helps you reach the right audience. You can use font and color to your advantage here, too.

6. Dress up Inexpensive Packaging

As a small business, you probably don’t have a big budget to devote to packaging. However, a great label can make the packaging you have seem much more attractive, even if it was cheap.

The right colors and a stylish font are all you need to make your packaging look sleek and stylish. With a great label, many people won’t even notice that you used your packaging to save money.

7. Offer an Experience

A great form of branding uses packaging that creates a seamless product experience for the customer. Opening the package doesn’t have to feel tedious – it can become an exciting experience.

A prime example of experienced-based marketing is Apple products. These electronics are known for being sleek and user-friendly, and that’s reflected in the packaging as well. From the moment a customer starts to open up the package, they feel like they’re already enjoying their new product.

8. Save the Environment

If your product is eco-friendly, or your packaging is, the product labels are a great place to highlight that. Many customers choose eco-friendly products as often as they can, so this can become a great selling point.

You might be surprised to learn that 52 percent of customers around the world consider environmental and social impact as part of the purchasing process. You can make an eco-friendly product, but if your packaging doesn’t highlight it, your customers will never know.

9. Meet Industry Standards

There are a number of industries in which you’re required by law to print certain information on your label. For example, expiration dates and safety instructions aren’t necessarily just a courtesy to your customers – they might be legally required.

Your label not only gives you the chance to meet the legal requirements, but it also gives you a space to present certain information in a way that’s playful and fun. For example, if you sell shampoo, you might be required to provide instructions about how to use it on the label. But you can do so in a way that will get a laugh from your customers.

Do Your Product Labels Make the Grade?

As you can see, product labels are crucial to having a successful brand. Are yours up to par, or do you need to print some labels that will bring in the clients you really want?

We can help you design the custom labels you need. Contact us today to get started.

Need a Truly Durable Barcode Scanner? This One Is Practically Indestructible

Post author By Dane Titsworth
Post date June 22, 2017

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In manufacturing, warehousing, and other industrial environments, mobile equipment and technologies often come with a high cost of ownership. The daily use and abuse of these devices can lead to premature servicing or catastrophic damage that requires a full replacement. Even supposedly “rugged” or “durable” devices, like barcode scanners, may not withstand your environment or the demands of your workforce. Everything from dust and liquids to extreme temperatures and accidental drops could spell disaster for these devices. At Idezi, we have seen these problems first-hand. We’re often called upon by manufacturers and warehouses to help them find and install barcoding technologies that will truly withstand the rigors of their workplace and daily needs. Often they have struggled with previous devices and barcoding systems that don’t make the grade. We solve their hardware challenges with extremely rugged and durable mobile scanning and computing devices from our partners at Zebra Technologies. Zebra is the global leader in barcoding systems, RFID, mobile computing, and printing, and its latest innovation has settled the issue of device durability once and for all.

Zebra’s 3600 Ultra-Rugged Series Barcode Scanners

With the new 3600 Ultra-Rugged Series of barcode scanners, Zebra has created a virtually indestructible barcode scanner. It’s built to withstand the most extreme environments, including subzero to ultra-hot temperatures; it’s dustproof, spray proof and waterproof; and it features the highest drop and tumble durability of any rugged barcode scanner. It’s built to handle heavy abuse and drops to concrete from up to 8 feet, which makes it 23 percent more durable than any competing barcode scanner. It also survived and thrived in Zebra’s grueling test of 5,000 consecutive tumbles, which simulates the typical tumbling that happens after a device is dropped. IP65- and IP67-rated sealing makes this device impervious to dust and water– it can survive 30 minutes while fully submerged in water. Its scanning exit window is scratch-resistant and recessed for the highest level of durability. The 3600 Ultra-Rugged Series is also designed to operate at extreme temperatures ranging from -4° F to 122° F, and it can be stored at temperatures as cold as -40° F or as hot as 158° F.

Performance to Match Its Unbeatable Durability

Amazingly, though, this device isn’t just durable. It is also remarkably efficient and can cover any scanning requirement, anywhere you need. The 3600 Ultra-Rugged Series scans 1D and 2D barcodes fast and reliably, with advanced scanning intelligence that enables virtually any barcode to be scanned, regardless of its condition. If the label is dirty, smudged, damaged, or poorly printed, it doesn’t matter. This device will scan it the first time, every time.

With a multi-code feature, it scans up to 20 barcodes with a single press of a trigger, and the series includes an ultra-long-range model that scans barcodes from as far away as 70 feet! Zebra’s 3600 Ultra-Rugged Series is also available with a corded or cordless option and Bluetooth LE (BLE) connectivity for fast, accurate performance in picking, packing, shipping, receiving, inventory tracking, cross docking, or virtually any application. Zebra has also equipped these devices with PowerPrecision+ smart battery technology, which provides power for up to 70,000 scans and a charge gauge for visibility into your battery power. It’s also the first device in its class that allows users to monitor battery age and ability to hold a charge. With this incredibly durable device, you get reliable barcode scanning and continuous performance in virtually any environment, and your cost of ownership is far lower because you won’t be wasting time and money on repairs or replacement.

Want to learn more and check it out for your business?

Visit us at www.idezi.com, call us at 615-377-8849, or email info@idezi.com.

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Tags barcode scanners

Food Service

Scan & Track Your Cold Storage Inventory Without the Headache

Post author By Dane Titsworth
Post date June 22, 2017

If you’re working with products or inventory in cold storage, a common problem is how to scan barcode labels and track your assets, especially when most barcode label scanners aren’t designed for extremely cold environments. Most barcode scanning devices cannot operate in extreme cooler, refrigerator, chiller, and freezer conditions. They’re also ill-equipped to handle the constant changes in temperature and conditions that occur when workers move between cold storage and warmer zones in the workplace. When moving in and out of cold storage, condensation can accumulate on barcode scanner windows and reduce scanning performance or make barcode scanning impossible. Barcodes in cold storage environments are also frequently covered with frost or condensation, leading to the same scanning difficulty or impossibility. In addition, cold temperatures are tough on batteries, which often means you can’t use cordless barcode scanners in subzero temperatures. Battery performance typically drops as temperatures decrease, and at some point, batteries may stop functioning altogether. A final issue is the problem of trying to operate barcode scanners while wearing thick gloves to protect against cold temperatures. Even if you can keep a barcode label scanner running and scanning reliably, the difficulty in handling and operating it can get in the way of maximum efficiency. To solve these challenges, cold storage scanning requires highly specialized devices that can operate seamlessly in extreme cooler, refrigerator, chiller, and freezer conditions.

Zebra’s 3600 Series Cold Storage Scanning Solution

Thankfully, there is now an ideal solution for ultra-rugged and freezer-compliant barcode label scanning from Zebra Technologies. Our partners at Zebra recently introduced the 3600 Series of barcode label scanners, designed specifically to meet the most demanding and extreme cold storage requirements. Zebra’s freezer-compliant devices are engineered to provide reliable and easy operation in even the most extreme cold storage environments. This makes your entire supply chain more efficient, protects your customers, and enhances the profitability of your business.

The 3600 Series offers an operating temperature range of -22° F to 122° F when corded and -4° F to 122° F with a cordless configuration. Zebra’s unique PowerPrecision+ battery is also fully freezer rated, with no decline in performance over the entire operating system range. To prevent condensation on the device’s scanner window, Zebra also offers a heated scanner holder accessory that keeps the scanner head warm and prevents condensation buildup. If you need to connect your scanner to its host computer with a cord or cable, the 3600 Series includes freezer-rated cables with special jacketing to maintain flexibility and ensure reliable operation in subzero temperatures. Importantly, you can also go cordless with Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. Large keys on the Zebra 3600 Series keypad, an easy-to-use touch-screen, and an ergonomic mobile computer ensure that your workers can quickly scan barcodes and efficiently enter data, even with gloved hands. An advanced scanning engine also ensures that your workers will be able to scan 1D or 2D barcodes the first time—every time—even when barcodes are covered with frost or damaged, dirty, torn, smudged, or poorly printed. While it solves the problems of cold storage environments and moving in and out of cold temperatures, Zebra’s 3600 Series has also earned IP65 and IP67 ratings for its waterproof and dustproof design. This protects the device from virtually any challenge in your environment, including dusty aisles, outdoor yards, pouring rain, spilled coffee, high-pressure spray-downs, and wipe downs with industrial-strength cleaners.

These innovations are among the reasons why Zebra is the globally recognized leader in barcode scanning, RFID, and printing for cold storage environments and an array of industries. And they’re also why we recommend Zebra barcode scanners and mobile computers to all of our clients at Idezi.

Learn More & See It for Yourself

If you’d like to learn more about the Zebra 3600 Series Barcode scanning system and request a free consultation to help you choose the right cold storage barcode scanning solutions for your business, contact us now. Visit us at www.idezi.com, call us at 615-377-8849, or email info@idezi.com.

Tags Barcode labels, barcode scanners

Food Service Healthcare Industry

Barcodes Solving Food Safety Challenges

Post author By Dane Titsworth
Post date June 19, 2017

Supervisor scanning package barcode at the warehouse.

Have you ever strolled the produce section at your local grocery store and wondered where the food came from? Now, you might be able to. Consumers today are demanding more transparency when it comes to their food — and producers are responding. Many are turning to barcode software that allows items to be labeled and tracked across the food supply chain. This boosts traceability efforts and allows buyers a more comprehensive overview of where their items come from. This barcode software also helps Food and Beverage (F&B) manufacturers meet stringent food safety regulations. When food items are tracked at every touchpoint from the farm to the table, discrepancies are easily found. Also, issues are more quickly resolved, and teams can effectively work together. Today, we’re taking a look at some of the top ways barcode software can help F&B teams solve food safety challenges head-on. Ready to get started? Let’s dig in!

Complete Labels, Fewer Recalls

Did you know that in 2016 alone, there was more than 760 food recalls, a 22% jump from the year before? One of the top factors: undeclared allergens. According to a recent report, 42% of recalls issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a result of misbranding. Labels were missing or incomplete. Ingredients lists weren’t revealed in full. Allergens weren’t identified. Identification software helps ensure that all items are properly and thoroughly labeled from the onset. This helps avoid any potential repercussions down the line. In the event that a recall does occur, this barcode software makes it easier than ever to pinpoint exactly which batches were affected.

A Stronger Focus on Prevention

In January 2011, President Obama signed into effect the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This was the most comprehensive reform of food safety in 70 years. The FSMA’s main initiative is to identify and rectify food safety issues before they even begin. This switch to preventative controls versus strictly responsive ones is exactly why this type of software was created. Food items are affixed with labels as soon as they enter the F&B supply chain. Then, teams across departments can identify where they’re going, how they’re getting there, and when they should arrive. This real-time tracking mechanism means that issues can be addressed immediately. They can even be avoided before they occur. This is a huge step in the right direction for food safety initiatives.

Safety at the Organizational Level

F&B manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers are seeking to make internal changes in compliance with FSMA regulations. One major action item they’re putting into place is establishing in-house controls for food safety. The FSMA requires food facilities to create and maintain a written preventative controls plan. This plan requires them to, in part:

Evaluate potential hazards
Delineate specific preventative controls
Specify how each control will be monitored and recorded for accuracy

As such, many are turning to barcode software to keep track of every movement their inventory takes. This allows for efficient and clean recordkeeping and monitoring, two of the FSMA’s top safety plan requirements.

Barcode Software and More: Tracking Solutions You Can Trust

If you’re an F&B leader looking to invest in barcode software to take your food safety operations to the next level, we’d love to help. As a leader in inventory tracking and asset management solutions, we’re skilled in all areas of barcoding. From specialty barcode labels to thermal printers, we’re a one-stop-shop for your identification and barcode labeling needs. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to check out our product line, browse our blog, or contact us today and let’s connect!

Tags Barcode labels, Barcode System