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Guides, explainers, and references on QR codes, GS1 Digital Link, Sunrise 2027, and barcodes. From plain-English overviews to technical deep dives.

Industry

Sunrise 2027: Timeline, Deadlines, and What Brands Must Do

The full Sunrise 2027 timeline, from the 2019 GS1 Digital Link standard to the 2028 FSMA 204 deadline, plus what the 2027 date actually means and how to prepare.

11 min readGuide

How to Create a GS1 Digital Link QR Code: 6-Step Guide

Step by step: get your GTIN, format the Digital Link URI, set up a resolver, meet print requirements, and test before your packaging goes to press.

8 min readExplainer

What Is a GTIN? The Number Behind Every Barcode

Every product barcode encodes a GTIN. Here's what that number actually is, where it comes from, and why it matters for your packaging.

5 min read
QR Codesbeginner6 min read

Why Free QR Codes Show Ads, and How to Check Before You Print

Some free QR codes route every scan through an ad page first. What an interstitial is, why providers add one, what it costs you, and the ten-second test that tells you whether any provider does it.

Guideintermediate7 min read

GS1 or a Hosted Resolver: What the Non-Profit Actually Provides

GS1 licenses the numbers and publishes the standard. It does not run the service that answers your printed codes, and its free resolver has no self-service route in. What that leaves you to solve, and when you do not need to pay anyone.

Guidebeginner4 min read

Where to Find the UPC on a Product

The UPC is the number printed under the barcode. Where it sits by product type, what the twelve digits actually mean, and what to do when there is no barcode on the item.

Guidebeginner7 min read

UPC vs EAN vs GTIN vs SKU vs ASIN: Which Number Is Which

UPC, EAN and GTIN are the same globally issued number at three lengths. A SKU is yours, an ASIN is Amazon's, and neither converts into a GTIN. Which number goes where, and what breaks when it does not.

Guidebeginner7 min read

Cheap UPC Codes: What You Actually Get for $5

Resold barcodes are real numbers registered to someone else. Where they work, where they fail, and why the comparison is now $5 versus $30 rather than $250.

QR Codesbeginner7 min read

Do QR Codes Expire? What Actually Makes One Stop Working

QR codes have no expiry date. What stops them working is a lapsed subscription, a scan cap, or a dead destination. How to tell which one broke yours, and how to fix it.

Guidebeginner9 min read

Do I Need a UPC to Sell Online? The Answer by Channel

Whether you need a UPC depends on where you sell. The honest answer for fourteen marketplaces and retailers, and the one question that actually decides it.

Guidebeginner4 min read

Do I Need a 2D Barcode? A Simple Checklist

Not sure if the Sunrise 2027 transition applies to you? Walk through this quick checklist to find out what you need to do and when.