Best Barcode Scanners for Small Warehouses: 1D vs 2D Explained
A barcode scanner is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make to a small warehouse or packing area. It speeds up stock checks, reduces typing mistakes and makes it easy to log every parcel that leaves. But scanner listings are full of technical terms. The most important choice is whether you need a 1D or a 2D scanner. 1D vs 2D Barcodes: What Is the Difference? 1D barcodes are the classic lines-and-spaces barcodes you see on most products and many courier labels. They store a short string of numbers or letters. 2D barcodes store information in a pattern of squares or dots. QR codes and the stacked codes you often see on shipping labels are examples. They can hold much more data. Many shipping labels include both types: a 2D code used by the courier's systems and a 1D barcode containing the tracking number. Which Type of Scanner Do You Need? 1D scanner: reads only traditional line barcodes. Cheaper, and enough if you only scan product barcodes and tracking numbers prin...