Code's POS Barcode Scanners are Holiday Retail Essentials

A Look at the Trends and Data Capture Solutions Shaping Retailers’ Holiday Fortunes

Retail analysts foresee the 2023 holiday season growing at 4.5%, echoing the 2022 season. Emerging spending trends suggest a bustling Q4 holiday period, expected to reach $1,328 trillion. Barcode readers will take a pivotal role in modern point-of-sale systems (POS) during the upcoming fall and winter seasons.

Inflation is forcing shoppers to stretch budgets and encouraging consumers to hunt for superior deals. Low- and mid-priced gifts will be popular this year, so expect Santa’s sleigh to be value-packed this Christmas! Industry-wide, for example, discount-driven shoppers are projected to give the cold shoulder to higher-end electronics and jewelry by opting for the practical, like coats and boots.

And retailers will be ready, thanks to a few trends.

Globally, the scan-and-go shopping apps and self-checkout kiosks fueled by the pandemic are here to stay. This, however, contrasts with stores in Western Europe and Canada that are embracing kletskassa, Dutch for "chat checkout," where shoppers can connect with cashiers, easing loneliness.

Regardless of checkout type, UPC lookup and barcode scanning solutions for efficient retail checkout are critical. For retailers with staffed checkouts, the specific choice of POS barcode scanner is vital.

The Role of Wired Barcode Scanners in Retail Point of Sale

Wired barcode readers establish a direct connection to the POS system. The holistic nature of modern POS systems and their integration with various retail operations allows for the syncing of inventory tracking, sales reporting, customer loyalty, marketing, and e-commerce.

Utilizing wired barcode readers, like Code’s CR950, CR5000, and CR1100 models, will help overcome retail industry challenges commonly experienced during the busy holiday season. Explore the following advantages of these models below.

Meet Retail-Specific Challenges with Code’s Wired Barcode Readers

CodeShield Beats the Bug

The right handheld scanner protects you during flu season. Code hardware is crafted with disinfectant-ready CodeShield® Plastic, which enables Code devices to withstand the harsh chemicals that irradicate bacteria and viruses. This durability makes Code’s handheld scanners popular within healthcare, but CodeShield plastic’s resistance to routine sanitation is also critical in high-volume environments, like retail stores on Black Friday.

Retailers can rely on Code readers to withstand disinfection without degrading, minimize the spread of germs, and keep retail workers healthy on the job.

Code Scanners’ Ergonomic Design Promotes Productivity

Holiday shoppers expect speed and efficiency at checkout. They have stockings to stuff and holiday meals to prepare! Retailers can maximize productivity by arming their staff with high-quality tools that promote ease and comfort. The ergonomic design of Code devices enables comfortable use during long shifts of repetitive scanning. For instance, Code designers consider the optimal center of gravity, weight, grip, and button location to craft streamlined SKU scanners.

Hands-free Presentation Mode Boosts Scanning Speed

When Code’s wired readers sit in cradles for use in presentation mode, they can provide hands-free scanning of 1D barcodes (UPCs) found on packaging. Retail associates and customers can quickly swipe the products’ barcode beneath SKU scanners, like the CR5000 and the CR1100, without touching the scanner. Customers will speed through holiday checkout lines thanks to this efficiency-improving ability.

The Barcode Readers that Triumph over Retail’s Toughest SKUs

Code’s barcode readers address the retail industry-wide challenge of reading those pesky problem children of retail. These hard-to-read barcodes include store-printed ones for bakery items and produce along with stained ground beef packaging — none of them stand a chance against Code readers!

Code’s patented Dual-Field Optics and Scan Small, Scan All technologies read shaped barcodes, printed in-store QR codes featuring store logos, shiny foam-insulated barcodes, PVC-wrapped barcodes, and smudged barcodes. Not all barcode readers on the market reliably scan different UPC symbologies in varying conditions on all materials. With Code, the extra-long Thanksgiving and Christmas checkout lines will move as fast as Santa's sleigh.

The Right Barcode Scanning Software Helps Customers Profit as they Shop

Retailers, take advantage of the likelihood that hot deals will be popular this holiday season. Among the barcode scanning solutions for efficient retail checkout is the opportunity for consumers to earn credits or points as they spend. Code readers' JavaScript-based platform allows for efficient data parsing and can even scan licenses to prepopulate store credit, loyalty, and gas points forms. The lack of effort required to rack up points and save money will lead to greater program opt-ins and greater returns.

Readily scan 2D Data Matrix Barcodes

As consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms transition from 1D to 2D barcode symbologies, choosing a reader that can readily scan 2D data matrix barcodes is critical. CPG firms are migrating this way to pack more enhanced information and traceability into their barcodes. To accommodate this change during a holiday season expected to bloom with spending on packaged goods, choose a Code scanner that will increase speed and throughput times while lowering frustration during peak shopping season.

Code’s POS Barcode Scanners Shield Retailers from Seasonal Challenges

Store operators are savvy to embrace new technology that addresses shoppers’ preferences. POS systems will continue morphing, simultaneously reverting to old trends like staffed checkout lines and adopting new technologies. So, Code’s barcode readers will continue to meet industry needs, address emerging challenges, and leverage upcoming retail trends to set retailers up for success.

Retailers, revving up your retail operations is as easy as emailing info@codecorp.com. Our experts in EMEA and The Americas have the know-how to swiftly and economically upgrade POS data capture systems to maximize productivity and performance.