Introduction to Barcode Scanners
If this is your first time buying a barcode scanner it easy to be overwhelmed by the magnitude of different products by different manufacturers and all the different features available. It is important to understand the difference between what each scanner can offer your business because getting the right scanner will improve your throughput and pay for itself. Purchasing the wrong scanner may have you paying more than you need or leaving you with a long line at your register.
CCD scanners explained
If you are on a tight budget, have a small store, and looking to spend $100 or less you can get a CCD scanner. CCD technology means you have to press the scanner up to the barcode to get a read. A ccd is limited in it's scope and cannot read a rounded surface such as a cola bottle. A CCD scanner worth looking into is the PSC QS200.
What's the story with a single line laser scanner
If you have low to moderate sales in your store and fast accurate scanning is important then a laser scanner is really your only option. You can hold a laser scanner as much as a foot away from the barcode and get an immediate read; or you can leave the scanner in it's base and simply pass the product through, aligning the laser with the barcode. Check out the Metrologic MS9520 for a dependable single line barcode scanner.
Do I need a trigger on my Scanner?
A scanner with a trigger lets the user line the barcode label up with scanner and only read the barcode label once the trigger is pressed. This makes reading barcodes that are next to each other easy. Retail stores that keep many barcodes in a book will find a trigger very useful. Barcode Scanners with triggers often have a feature to turn on and off the trigger so that the scanner operate as a triggered scanner or a hands free barcode scanner. A very popular triggered barcode scanner is the Metrologic MS9540.
What is an Omnidirectional Barcode Scanner?
If you have long lines and a healthy amount of foot traffic in your store then an omni directional laser scanner is certainly for you. An omni directional scanner will send out as many as 56 laser beams to aggressively search out the barcode. This way your cashier does not even have to align the barcode with the laser beam since there is a laser in virtually every direction. This makes for easy as pie scanning as the cashier can simply pass the item through without thinking.
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