QR Code And Bar Code

QR Codes And Bar Codes

QR Codes and barcodes  are systems for conveying large amounts of data in a small format.  They offer many benefits like minimum space, speed, labor savings and cost savings, among other benefits.
QR CODES
A recent trend among small businesses is the growing use of QR codes.  QR codes (pictured below) are similar in one sense to bar codes, in that they contain information which can be read by a QR code reader.

(nyastuff.blogspot.com)

QR codes can be scanned by your mobile camera and using QR code scanning app. You could walk into a place of business, see a QR code on an item, scan it with your smartphone, and immediately have access to a lot of information electronically.
QR codes have been around for years.  But in the last 12 months I’ve seen the use of QR increasing drastically among entrepreneurs as mobile usages has grown. QR Codes are well suited for marketing purposes, Libraries, Buisness cards, among other uses.
Or you might give out schwag such as a coffee mug, imprinted with a QR code where someone can find out more information about your company.  Or how about imprinting a QR Code on one of those pop-up banners when exhibiting at your next trade show?  Attendees can scan your company’s information by holding their smartphones up to the banner — so you don’t have to shell out for expensive printed materials and they don’t have to lug all that heavy paper home on the plane.
It’s not hard to generate a QR code. You can create one for free online. The QR code image above is one I created using the Google URL shortener and it took me all of 2 seconds to create.
QR Codes have infinite uses in small businesses, especially for marketing, now that everybody on the planet seems to walk around glued to a smartphone.
BARCODES
Significant difference in the two is that while a barcode only holds information nicely in the horizontal direction, a QR can do so vertically as well. Barcodes have been around for decades.  They are versatile with a large variety of uses — especially in retail and manufacturing settings, and in transport and shipping.

We’re used to seeing the common barcode printed on packaging at the grocery store or in other retail outlets, when items are passed over the barcode reader at the checkout counter to ring up a sale.  Barcodes not only are valuable at the point of sale, but also for managing inventory and raw materials internally, so that you know what you have in stock.
Barcodes have become common in shipping, to enable greater accuracy and speed in getting packages delivered.  And barcodes are used to manage large filing systems, library books, and a host of other purposes where large numbers of items need to be tracked efficiently.
Barcodes are relatively inexpensive, and help drive speed, efficiency and profitability.
The QR code, similar to a barcode, is an example of an information matrix. QR codes are referred to as two-dimensional, because they carry information both vertically and horizontally. Another direct result to this is greater potential to carry information in a smaller space.
Barcodes and QR Codes have their place for different purposes and under different circumstances. So there’s no excuse for not using technology to operate your business more efficiently and effectively — it’s just a question of which technology is better for your needs and your budget.