Putting bar codes on your products requires a series of simple steps. First you must create a bar code and then you need to choose a convenient place to put the bar code. After you have completed those steps then you must decide a method to affix or print the bar code. Finally the last step is to make sure you have a perfect image of the barcode itself.
If you intend to have your products sold in stores then you must purchase your bar codes somewhere. If you are going to need hundreds of bar codes a good place to purchase them would be GS1.org. Purchasing bar codes from this website will start at $760 and depending on how much you need you can expect the price to cost you as much as a few thousand dollars. Another way to purchase bar codes is to buy from a company who sells surplus codes. Each bar code will only cost you a couple of dollars. If you are only planning on only using the codes for your business then you can print them out yourself.
After you have received your bar codes you must place them in a place where they are not easily destroyed and can be accessed with no trouble. For example if you are trying to place a bar code inside of a computer you need to make sure that the bar code is resistant to heat. If a barcode is going to be placed on a box or exposed to sunlight you should have bar codes that can withstand any temperature and will not come off when handled by hundreds of different employees and customers. There are companies that make special bar codes out of metal and other materials to ensure that the bar code will not come off. If you are going to be using bar codes frequently it would probably be a good investment to buy a bar code printer.
Lastly you want to make certain that the barcode itself has a perfect image. If you are going to be putting your products into a retail environment then it is important to make sure the bar code is in perfect condition because it will most likely be scanned several times and the code needs to remain legible. If you print your bar code out with your own personal computer then the image will most likely fade over time. Once you have completed all these steps then all you have to do is test out the bar code and make sure it is readable. Once you are done with that then your product is ready to go.