Three Questions to Ask if you Want to Buy the Barcode Scanner That’s Right for You

Worried about buying a barcode scanner that won’t do what you need it to do? POSGuys has helped thousands of business owners like yourself find what they need by asking them these three simple questions.

First: What Are You Scanning?

If you’re scanning barcodes on items or documents that can easily be put on a counter, use a presentation scanner. If you can’t put the item on a counter because it’s too large, you should use a handheld scanner.

Don’t forget about the barcodes themselves. If every code you’re scanning is a single row of lines, a 1D barcode scanner will work. If you ever need to scan barcodes with anything other than straight lines - like QR code or the datamatrix on the screen now - you’ll need a 2D scanner. If you ever need to scan anything off a screen, you should use a 2D scanner, too.

Second: How Much Is the Scanner Moving?

Don’t need to move it at all? A fixed-place presentation scanner will do the job. Need to move it 2-3 feet at a time? Get a corded handheld scanner. Need to pick it up and walk down a hallway? A handheld scanner with a Bluetooth cradle is the way to go.

Third: How Likely is it to be Dropped or Get Wet?

If it will take a beating look at an industrial handheld scanner. Throw it off a ladder or dunk it in water and it will keep scanning like the day you bought it.