Can't Find an In-Stock Bluetooth Scanner or Printer? Here's What You Can Try.
By: Colton Redtfeldt - 3/21/2022

Having trouble finding the Bluetooth barcode scanner or receipt printer you need? You’re not alone. Global supply chain shortages have impacted many of the components used in these devices and because of that, we've seen extended backorders on many scanners and printers. This has left many asking what alternative options they have. The answer will depend on what you’re connecting to.

Let’s break down your options.

**iOS & Android Users**
Tablet users have driven most of the demand for these Bluetooth devices. Unfortunately, they’re also generally the hardest to find substitutes for. In many cases, the particular scanner or printer needs to be specifically coded by name into the point of sale software you’re using. Your first step in finding an alternative will be to reach out to your software developer and ask if your software looks for a particular printer/scanner name or if it will work with any device that supports the same programming language. If you need help with this, feel free to give us a call and we can help you determine what questions you need to ask.

Major software companies like Square, Lightspeed, Clover and Toast are examples of software that look for a particular unit name. In those cases, you’ll need to wait for the manufacturer to certify a new printer/scanner.

If you’re using an online ordering application like GrubHub, Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Postmates, you’ll have a little more flexibility. You’ll still need to use something that’s certified by the developer, but these ordering services tend to certify a few other printers. Our [Online Ordering System Compatibility Guide][1] is a good place to look for alternatives.If you have an existing printer and are looking to add a printer to support another ordering platform, there are services you can connect with that consolidate all your platforms into a single printer. Those services usually cost an extra monthly fee, however. If you’re interested in getting signed up with something like that, give us a call and we can help walk you through that process.

**Windows Users**
If you’re connecting your scanner or printer to a Windows device via Bluetooth, you’ll have some flexibility in finding an alternative. For scanners, so long as you’re planning to use a Bluetooth cradle to bridge the connection between the computer and scanner, you can safely swap out your scanner for any other Bluetooth scanner. If you’re still unable to find an alternative Bluetooth scanner, you could also look at radio scanners. Datalogic makes an industrial barcode scanner called the [PM9501][2] (soon to be replaced by the [PM9600][3]) with this functionality. A non-industrial version of this scanner is not yet available.

[1]: https://posguys.com/blog/ask-posguys/article/OnlineOrderingPrinters
  [2]: https://posguys.com/industrial-barcode-scanner_53/DataLogic-PM9501_3883/
  [3]: https://posguys.com/industrial-barcode-scanner_53/DataLogic-PM9600_3910/

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Can't Find an In-Stock Bluetooth Scanner or Printer? Here's What You Can Try. By: Colton Redtfeldt - 3/21/2022

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Can't Find an In-Stock Bluetooth Scanner or Printer? Here's What You Can Try.
By: Colton Redtfeldt - 3/21/2022