A barcode scanner is often the first thing a shop owner thinks of buying with a new POS. Standalone scanners commonly cost between LKR 15,000 and LKR 45,000, and many shops add a desktop PC to plug it into. Before you spend that money, it is worth knowing that the phone in your pocket can do the same job for most small shops.
How camera scanning works
A POS with a built-in camera scanner uses the phone or tablet camera to read the barcode printed on a product. You point the camera at the barcode, the item is recognised and added to the bill. There is nothing to plug in and nothing extra to charge.
It works with the standard barcodes printed on most packaged goods, so tea, rice, soap, biscuits and other branded products scan straight away once they are in your product list.
When the camera is enough
A phone or tablet camera is a good fit when:
- You run a small or medium shop with one or two counters.
- Customers buy a handful of items at a time rather than trolley-loads.
- You want to bill away from the counter: at a market stall, on deliveries or at a pop-up.
- You want to check stock on the shelf by scanning, without walking back to a PC.
When a USB scanner is worth it
A dedicated scanner earns its price when one counter scans a large number of items all day, like a busy supermarket lane. It is faster for very high volumes and frees the cashier's hands.
You do not have to choose one or the other forever. Start with the camera, and if one counter gets busy enough, add a scanner to that counter only. Make sure your POS supports both.
Items without barcodes
Not everything has a barcode. Plan for these from day one:
- Loose items like dhal, sugar or vegetables are usually sold by weight. Your POS should let you sell by kg, g or litre and pick the item by name.
- Your own products, such as items you pack yourself, need a code of their own. Many shops print barcode labels for these so they scan like everything else.
- Fast-moving items without a barcode, like bread or eggs, are quickest as a button or a short search on the billing screen.
Tips for fast, accurate scanning
- Good light helps more than anything. Avoid scanning in deep shadow.
- Hold the barcode flat and inside the frame, a hand's width from the camera.
- Clean the camera lens. A greasy lens is the most common reason scans fail.
- Check new stock on arrival. Scan one of each new product to make sure it is in your list with the right price.
Next step
Try camera scanning with your own products before you buy any hardware. If it keeps up with your counter, you have saved the cost of a scanner.
Zyrace Cloud POS includes a mobile camera barcode scanner and also works with USB scanners, on the phone, tablet or PC you already own. Book a free demo and scan a few of your own products.