Barcode Labels for a Small Shop: Label Sizes, EAN-13 vs Code128 and Printers

A barcode on every item is the single biggest speed-up at a shop counter. Scanning is faster than searching, it never picks the wrong size, and it makes stock counts quick. But many small shops get stuck on the basics: which barcode, which size, which printer? This guide answers those.

Do you even need your own barcodes?

Many branded products already carry a barcode from the manufacturer — use it. Enter that barcode on the item once and scan it forever.

You need your own barcodes for:

• Unbranded or loose goods (hardware parts, garments from small makers, handicrafts).
• Items you repack (dry fruits, spices in your own pouches).
• Variants that share a manufacturer barcode but must be tracked separately (size or colour).

OneLedger Inventory creates a barcode automatically for every new item without one. These are EAN-13 numbers starting with 2 — the range reserved for in-store use — so they do not clash with manufacturer codes.

EAN-13 or Code128?

Rule of thumb: use EAN-13 for items you sell at the counter. Use Code128 only if your item codes contain letters and you want the label to show that code.

Choosing the label size

The right size depends on what you stick it on:

• 50 × 25 mm roll (1 across): the all-rounder. Fits boxes, bottles, packets. Enough space for name, price, MRP and barcode.
• 38 × 25 mm roll (2 across): smaller items — cosmetics, accessories, stationery. Two labels per row, so printing is fast.
• 100 × 50 mm roll: price tags for garments, shoes, appliances. Room for size, colour and a bigger price.
• A4 sheets (65, 40, 24 or 12 labels): if you do not own a label printer. Print on any laser or inkjet printer. The 12-up sheet works well for shelf tags.

OneLedger Inventory supports all seven of these layouts out of the box.

What to print on a label

Keep it readable. A typical retail label has:

1. Item name (short)
2. Selling price — large
3. MRP — and when you sell below MRP, show it struck through. Customers notice the saving.
4. The barcode
5. Optional: size/colour, batch and expiry, or one extra line such as "Made in India"

In the label screen you can turn each field on or off and preview before printing.

Printers: thermal vs regular

• Thermal label printer (direct thermal or thermal transfer): prints on rolls, fast and cheap per label. Best if you label a lot.
• Laser or inkjet with A4 sheets: no new hardware. Good for a few hundred labels a month.

Tip: don't waste half-used sheets

If you used the first 20 labels of a 65-label sheet, set "skip used labels" to 20 next time. Printing starts from label 21 instead of wasting the sheet.

The fastest way to label new stock

Label printing should follow the purchase, not the other way around:

1. Enter the purchase bill.
2. Click Labels from this bill. Quantities are filled from the bill — 40 pieces received means 40 labels.
3. Choose the layout and print.

For existing stock, open Barcode Labels & Tags, pick items (or a whole category) and set quantities.

Scanning tips at the counter

• A USB scanner behaves like a keyboard: plug in and scan into the POS search box.
• A Bluetooth scanner works with tablets and phones.
• No scanner? The phone camera can scan in the POS screen.
• To sell several identical pieces, type 3* before scanning (for example 3*8901234567893) to add three at once.

FAQ

Can two items have the same barcode? No. Each barcode must be unique so the scanner always finds one item. Variants (sizes/colours) get their own barcodes.

My labels print shifted on the sheet. What do I do? Set the printer to "actual size" (no scaling) and use the exact sheet layout you bought.

Can I print price tags without a barcode? Yes — turn the barcode off in the label options and keep name and price.