How to integrate a barcode scanner to develop a Self-Scan App
Karen Savage
Head of Sales at Anyline
If you consider offering a Scan-and-Go shopping experience to your customers, the first thing to do is to develop a self-scan app with a barcode scanner. In this blog, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on some of the most common questions people ask, making it easy to integrate Scan and Go to your stores!
Jump to key topics
Jump to key topics
1. Why should you develop a self-scan app?
Self-scan shopping, or ‘scan-and-go’, is a method of independent shopping that has been around for a few years, but gained popularity during the coronavirus pandemic. There are a number of reasons for this change, which were captured in our recent survey.
This report indicated numerous shifts in retail habits, for example:
- 1 in 3 say fast shopping trips are their priority. The second most important factor is having an independent shopping experience. In fact, only 16% prioritize interacting with retail workers.
- Consumers want to use technology to help them. About 76% used scan and go to help them social distance during the pandemic. And, 79% reported wanting to be able to continue to use it.
In summary, customers want faster, more independent shopping experiences. And with consumers already using their phones when shopping, it makes sense to offer Scan and Go as an option which fulfills all of these desires.
2. What kind of capabilities should my self-scan app have?
When it comes to consumer-facing apps, it has to ‘just work’. Consumers have little patience for slow or unreliable technology, so the first thing any self-scan app should provide is a fast and reliable scanner.
It needs to scan barcodes quickly and accurately, and provide a fast way of making payments online. Integrate a barcode scanner into the app, such as our best-in-class barcode scanner. With our barcode scanner SDK, consumers can scan various products with ease. It works without any internet connection, too.
Consider what types of barcodes are going to be scanned. Two different options exist.
- One-dimensional (1D) barcodes: These use parallel lines with various spacing between them to provide product information. The problem with these is that large and complex data creates larger barcodes, making it hard to use with smaller products. However, it offers key advantages, including being processed by camera-based or laser scanners. Some types include UPC codes for consumer goods, EAN codes for labeling consumer goods at point-of-sale scanning, Code 93 codes used for logistics and inventory management, and GS1 data bar codes used to identify consumer coupons and produce and perishables.
- Two-dimensional (2D) barcodes: These use specific patterns of squares, hexagons, dots, and other geometric patterns to provide data. These are only compatible with images. They offer advantages, including the ability to contain hundreds of characters and hold a significant amount of data, and stand up to damage more reliably. They can be scanned in various directions, too. Options include QR barcodes for tracking and marketing and data matrix barcodes used for small products, including electronic components.
For more information about which barcodes you can scan with Anyline, visit our documentation page!
3. Should I build an app in-house or with a 3rd party?
Depending on your business, you may wish to make your own app in-house or work with a third party organization to create the self-scan app. To make that decision consider the following.
- What is the size of your company? Creating an app in-house is likely beneficial to larger organizations because of the resources it requires. With Anyline’s SDK, your development team can easily integrate our barcode scanning technology into an iOS or Android App for your customers to use.
- For other companies, working with a third-party app may work better. If your company lacks the IT manpower to build and maintain an app, there are many reliable integrators and service providers who can assist you in creating the perfect solution. If you think this is the right option, we can suggest partners who can assist you.
4. How does scan and go work for restricted items and produce?
While scan-and-go technology is a perfect solution for quick and independent shopping experiences, it has typically been limited to certain products. This is because buying restricted items like alcohol requires the shopper to prove their identification and age.
But in addition to barcode scanning, retailers can integrate ID scanning into their app. This allows customers to scan their ID with their smartphone to verify their age when purchasing age-restricted items. That makes it easy to verify the age of the buyer with a click and eliminates underage consumption.
5. How can I protect my user’s data, privacy, and security?
Retailers need to consider security and privacy when creating scan-and-go apps. This is a big concern for many shoppers. One step is to ensure that no matter who you work with, they have ISO 27001 certification. This ensures that they will comply with the gold-standard for data security, have procedures in place to protect sensitive information, and conduct ongoing risk management and security checks. They also ensure the network is protected.
6. How can Anyline be integrated?
Anyline works with Android, UWP, and iOS smartphones. Consumers use their own smartphone with the app on it to scan products. That means it is an inexpensive investment. The SDK is easy to integrate and is backed up by hands-on support from customer service teams that are readily available to help. It offers support for common integration frameworks including Xamarin, React Native and Cordova. Test it for yourself today with our demo app, or get a 30-day free trial of our SDK.
