There’s a common misconception that product information can be entered “into” a barcode, or barcodes must be registered with a global database to function. No database covers every barcode number and no product data (other than the numbers) is encoded into a barcode. The vertical lines in a 1D barcode correspond to the numbers shown below the code. When scanned, the P.O.S. software reads the lines and recalls the number and any information (name/size/flavour/price) associated with that number. This only works if that particular P.O.S. system already has an entry for the number.
For your barcode to work, you will need to assign it to any relevant product information and pass this on to any retailers so that they may enter this information into their P.O.S. system. Once you have done this and included the image on your product artwork, the code represents the associated product. Please also take care to keep a record of your barcode assignments so that you do not accidentally duplicate.
Every new retailer needs to input the relevant information along with the associated barcode number into their POS system. There is no comprehensive database of all barcodes that will allow your product information available in every retailer. GEPIR (GS1’s database) only includes company information. GEPIR does not detail individual product data and is not used for retail P.O.S. systems.
We recommend submitting a spreadsheet detailing your product information to your retailers that shows the associated barcode assignments. Sometimes a retailer will ask you to complete product information sheets that link your product information to the barcode. Both ways work, it is simply a matter of what your retailers’ vendor policies are and how they prefer to have the information provided to them.
Online retail outlets such as FlipKart and Amazon require detailed information about your product along with a barcode number when you register your product. Listing on these sites as well as Google Merchant will allow Google to index your barcode numbers.
To make your product information available via barcode scanning apps you must register your product information and associated barcode number on a database used by app developers. Listing your product on some online databases such as https://gtinlookup.org or https://gtinsearch.org will help with online brand awareness and the overall visibility of your products.