How label printing and barcodes work
Every item gets a SKU, and the barcode on its tag is what connects the physical object to its inventory record and its marketplace listings. Tags print in batches on standard thermal label printers, and the layout is configurable.
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Why the barcode matters more than the price on the tag
A price tag tells a customer what something costs. A barcode tells your system which specific object just left the building. In resale that distinction is everything, because two items that look identical are still two separate records with different costs, different consignors and different listings.
The barcode is what makes a floor sale delist the right online listing. Without it, checkout is a search-and-hope exercise and mis-scans quietly corrupt your inventory.
What belongs on a tag
- The barcode encoding the SKU — the only genuinely required element.
- The SKU in readable text, as a fallback when a label is scuffed or a scanner fails.
- Price, formatted the way your register expects.
- A short description so a tag that falls off can be matched back to an item.
- Consignor or vendor code, if you take consignment or rent booths.
- Intake date or a date code, if you run automatic markdowns by age.
Printers
Standard thermal label printers are the right tool. They are cheap, they need no ink, and label stock is a commodity. Direct thermal labels fade with heat and sunlight over months, which is fine for fast-turning stock and worth thinking about for a shop with a sunny window and slow inventory.
For clothing, a hang tag or a butterfly label that wraps a garment tag is more durable than a sticker that peels off fabric. For furniture and hard goods, a plain adhesive label is fine.
Printing in batches
- 1
Catalogue a session's worth of intake
Tagging is a batch operation. Do not print one label at a time while cataloguing.
- 2
Select the items and print
Print the whole batch to your label printer in one job.
- 3
Tag in the same order
Labels come out in the order you selected, so working through the pile in order avoids mismatches.
- 4
Scan-check a few
Scan three or four tags at the register before shelving the batch. A layout problem caught now costs minutes; caught later it costs a re-tag.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep the SKUs I already use?
Yes. Existing SKUs import with your inventory, which matters if your floor is already tagged. Only generate new SKUs for items that genuinely do not have one.
Do I need a barcode scanner?
A cheap USB scanner pays for itself almost immediately at any real volume. Phone camera scanning works for low-volume or mobile use.
What label size should I use?
It depends on how much you put on the tag. A small label fits a barcode and a price; adding a description and a consignor code needs more room. Configure the layout first, then buy stock that fits it.
Can different locations use different label layouts?
Layouts are configurable, so a shop floor tag and a warehouse bin label can differ. Keep the barcode and SKU consistent across both — that is the part the system depends on.
Step-by-step product docs
This guide explains how it works. These show you exactly where to click.
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