Barcode scanners on eBay

If you’re in the market for a barcode scanner you probably know there are thousands of barcode scanners available on eBay. Some are brand new, most are used. Some are from the major manufacturers like Honeywell (formerly Hand Held Products), Motorola (formerly Symbol), PSC/Datalogic and Metrologic.

The question you need to ask yourself is, “How do I know what kind of barcode scanner I need and how do I know what I purchase is worth the price paid?”.

If you’re looking for scanners on eBay then chances are you’re not a Walmart or a Target :-) You’re a smaller establishment that needs one or two barcode scanners for your point of sale system. Or you’re just looking for some spares in case one of your older scanners breaks down. I’m here to say that buying scanners on eBay is just like buying anything else. You need to do your research before you make a purchase. If you do your research and know exactly what you need then chances are you can find it at a very good price on eBay. Barcode scanners are not a consumer item. So unlike consumer items on eBay where the price is typically no better than what you can get at a brick and mortar store, you can get a good brand name barcode scanner on eBay for a really good deal.

So what are some of the things to look for when you’re considering buying a scanner on eBay? There are a number of things you need to consider. I’ll list a few then go into more details below.

1. Tethered or cordless.
2. Interface from barcode scanner to PC.
3. Imager or laser based.
4. 2D or 1D barcode scanner.
5. Working range of barcode scanner.

Tethered or cordless?  You have the option to get a scanner that has a cable connected to the bottom of it and the other end of the cable connects directly to the PC.  Or you can get a cordless unit.  Cordless barcode scanners have a base station that connects to the PC with a cable.  Then the barcode scanner communicates to the base station wirelessly.  It works a lot like a cordless telephone.  Newer cordless systems are bluetooth from the barcode scanner to the cradle.

What about the interface?  If you read a previous post of mine it explains the different types of interfaces available in just about every barcode scanner.  Most barcode scanners support all the interfaces.  You would just need to scan a programming barcode to enable the interface you need.  But just to re-iterate what I stated in that post – USB keyboard is probably the most popular interface being used today.  It’s completely plug and play.  You set the scanner up for the USB keyboard interface and then plug the cable into a USB port on the PC running Windows or Linux.  The correct driver will load automatically.  Then whenever you scan a barcode, the barcode data will be inserted at the point of your cursor on the PC.  Here’s a link to my post about interfaces. Barcode scanner interfaces .

Do you want an imager based barcode scanner or a laser based scanner?  Imager based scanners come in two types.  Area imagers and linear imagers.  You would use an area imager if you plan on reading 2D or 1D barcodes.  A linear imager can only read 1D barcodes.  So why would you even bother with a linear imager if a 2d imager can read both 2d and 1D barcodes?   At this point in time linear imagers are less expensive and offer a greater working range than area imagers.  The other type is a laser barcode scanner.  Laser barcode scanners are very similar to linear imagers.  They can only read linear barcodes.

To furthur elaborate on the difference between 2D and 1D barcodes.  2D barcodes look like the Data Matrix shown here.

They can hold a lot of data. Depending on the type of data, they can potentially hold up to 3116 characters. Most scanners have trouble reading that amount of data, but it is possible. For a good overview of Data Matrix see this Wikipedia entry. Data Matrix on Wikipedia. There are other 2D barcode types. Aztec, QR Code and Han Xin to name a few.

Linear barcodes are the types of codes you see on pretty much every single product at a grocery store.  They can’t hold nearly the amount of data that a 2D barcode can hold, nor are they as error tolerant.  But they are easy to read and can be read with a very inexpensive barcode scanner.

Finally, working range needs to be considered.  Working range is defined as the farthest point at which a barcode can be read minus the nearest point at which a barcode can be read.  For example:  A barcode can be read out to a maximum distance of 18 inches for a particular barcode scanner.  That same barcode can be read at a near distance of 2 inches with the same barcode scanner.  The working distance is then 18 inches – 2 inches = 16 inches of working range.  The point that needs to be taken away from this message is that linear barcode scanners always have a better working range than 2D barcode scanners.  So that’s another point that needs to be considered when purchasing a barcode scanner.  Most applications do not require the longer working range of a 1D barcode scanner.  But some do.

I’ve listed some of the things you should really consider when purchasing a barcode scanner.  If you know what you want there is no reason you can’t purchase it off eBay.  You’ll get a really good price.  And barcode scanners are very durable.  They do not break often.

If you have any questions at all about what to look for in a barcode scanner, or if you find a scanner on eBay and you want my advice please don’t hesitate to email. Below is a selection of scanners available on eBay. Click one of the auctions to see more.

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