Talk:Bar Code
Discussion on BarCodes
According to http://www.uc-council.org/ean_ucc_system/stnds_and_tech/2005_sunrise.html, it looks like the US is still sticking with the 12-digit UPC code, but from the start of this year that all US retailers' and wholesalers' technology must also support EANs, thus reducing the re-barcoding of imported items. This is A Good Thing. --RodBegbie
Simple question: How is BarCode supposed to help in AmazonMatching? I've never seen amazon storing barcode information anywhere or is this hidden somewhere? --Fuchs
- Amazon WebServices provide product search by EAN / UPC code. But this seems to broken currently (see http://developer.amazonwebservices.com/connect/thread.jspa?messageID=59558) --BrainDamaged
- It's a little borked at AZN, failing to always find matches, but it normally works for music and audiobook lookups. One thing to keep in mind though: The ASIN and UPC/EAN are unique rowid keys in Amazon's master database, but the tracklists are a mix of freeform and other data in the site-specific databases. So while you may see one ASIN at .de with a 6 track tracklist, that same ASIN at .co.uk might have no tracklist, and 4 tracks at .com. The same UPC - ASIN pairing exists in all 3 places, however - this indicates bad tracklist data on their end, NOT that the same ASIN has 3 UPCs associated with it. -- BrianSchweitzer 23:02, 05 July 2007 (UTC)
- I strongly disagree. This doesn't necessarily indicates bad tracklist data as you state, but more often bad ASIN/UPC pairing, or more accurately ASIN reuse for different products: quite often, the same ASIN is associated to different products (and obviously to the same UPC). Assuming you have the right buy link just because you match UPC is dead wrong: you likely have another product wrongly associated with that ASIN/UPC pair. -- dmppanda 23:19, 05 July 2007 (UTC)
- It's a little borked at AZN, failing to always find matches, but it normally works for music and audiobook lookups. One thing to keep in mind though: The ASIN and UPC/EAN are unique rowid keys in Amazon's master database, but the tracklists are a mix of freeform and other data in the site-specific databases. So while you may see one ASIN at .de with a 6 track tracklist, that same ASIN at .co.uk might have no tracklist, and 4 tracks at .com. The same UPC - ASIN pairing exists in all 3 places, however - this indicates bad tracklist data on their end, NOT that the same ASIN has 3 UPCs associated with it. -- BrianSchweitzer 23:02, 05 July 2007 (UTC)
Another simple question: When entering a BarCode do we use the UPC (12 numbers or less) or use the standardized 13 digit EAN?
- Use what's on the CD. If it's a 12-digit UPC, then don't convert it to EAN. --LukasLalinsky
I suggest adding a section after "You can buy USB barcode scanners for...": "If you own a webcam, you can use the Zebra Barcode Reader (distributed under GNU LGPL) to get barcode readings from your cam." (Rationale: Webcams are far more widespread than barcode scanners these days, plus they are smaller or even integrated in laptops.) --mbuser838171846981
