The Smart Consumer’s Guide to Informed Purchases

In today’s dynamic marketplace, the ability to make informed decisions is critical for consumers wanting transparency and assurance in their purchases. The Smart Consumer App by GS1 India, powered by DataKart, provides detailed and reliable product information. It empowers users to access critical data instantly, by scanning barcodes, ensuring that they make well-informed choices. By offering features such as product information access, user reviews, and direct connections with brand owners, the app supports smarter and safer shopping, benefiting both consumers and the market.

Using this app not only helps you verify product details but also promotes responsible consumption by making accurate information easily accessible. This allows consumers to choose products that align with their preferences, safety needs, and values, creating a more transparent marketplace.

Researching Products and Services

Understanding Your Needs

Before making a purchase, it’s important to identify your specific needs and preferences. The Smart Consumer App helps you evaluate products by providing key details such as the name, date of manufacturing, MRP, and net content. By scanning the barcode, you can instantly verify whether a product matches your requirements. For example, if you are looking for a food item with a specific shelf life, you can use the app to confirm whether it meets your expectations before purchasing.

Comparing Options

Making informed choices often requires comparing multiple products. The Smart Consumer App simplifies this process by offering instant access to manufacturer details, including consumer care information. The app’s barcode scanning functionality ensures that you can access this information in-store or at home, enabling side-by-side comparisons.

Consumers can also benefit from features like user reviews, which allow them to learn from the experiences of others. By reading reviews, you can assess how well a product has performed for others and make a more confident choice. The app provides a streamlined framework for evaluating the quality, price, and reliability of different products.

Evaluating Quality and Value

Assessing the value of a product is a key part of the decision-making process. Through the Smart Consumer App consumers can get information on product warranties and durability, helping consumers determine whether a product is likely to last and whether it offers good value for money. By accessing up-to-date data from DataKart, the app ensures you get accurate details that help in evaluating the long-term value of your purchase. Whether you’re considering an appliance, a health product, or any other item, the app can provide essential insights into the product’s quality, giving you the confidence to make informed decisions.

Budgeting and Financial Planning

Setting a Budget

When planning a purchase, especially for higher-value items, setting a budget is essential. The Smart Consumer App supports this by providing accurate pricing information, such as the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of a product. This helps consumers ensure they are not overpaying and can stick to their financial goals. Additionally, the app’s features enable you to make comparisons based on price, ensuring you choose products that fit within your budget without compromising on quality.

By having easy access to up-to-date pricing, users can also avoid overspending on products that may have hidden costs or unnecessary markups, thus supporting better financial planning.

Making Ethical and Sustainable Choices

Understanding Ethical Consumerism

Informed purchasing is not just about getting the best product for yourself; it’s also about making choices that positively impact society and the environment. The Smart Consumer App helps consumers engage in ethical consumerism by providing accurate manufacturer information. This allows users to assess a brand’s commitment to sustainable and ethical practices before making a purchase. By offering a direct connection between consumers and brand owners, the app also enables users to ask questions about the sourcing and production practices of the products they are considering.

This transparency empowers consumers to support brands that prioritise responsible manufacturing and sustainability, leading to more conscientious purchasing decisions.

Choosing Sustainable Products

Choosing sustainable products is another important aspect of being a smart consumer. The Smart Consumer App helps by ensuring that users can verify product claims related to sustainability. With features that provide manufacturer details and direct feedback, consumers can identify whether a brand follows eco-friendly practices or meets certain certifications. The app makes it easier to select products that align with your values, such as items made from renewable resources or those with a lower environmental footprint.

The integration of reliable data from DataKart ensures that consumers have the information they need to make environmentally responsible choices, supporting both personal values and the global movement toward sustainability.

Smart Shopping Tips and Resources

Leveraging Technology

Technology is a crucial ally in making informed purchasing decisions, and the Smart Consumer App harnesses this potential through features like barcode scanning. By scanning 2D barcodes like QR codes, consumers can instantly retrieve detailed product information. This functionality allows users to get accurate and real-time data on the products they’re considering.

The app also allows for manual entry of GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) when barcode scanning isn’t available, ensuring that you can still access the same detailed information. This flexibility ensures that no matter where you are, you have reliable data to guide your purchases.

Insider Tips

While the Smart Consumer App provides essential product data, the app’s ability to connect consumers with brand owners allows direct communication, enabling consumers to gain additional insights straight from the source. This feature allows you to ask questions about specific products, receive feedback, and even get information on discounts, coupons, and product availability.

The ability to engage with brands directly gives consumers a unique advantage in the marketplace, as it enables them to make decisions based on expert advice and genuine information, ensuring that their choices are both well-informed and advantageous.

Conclusion

Making informed purchases is not just a benefit but a necessity. The Smart Consumer Application by GS1 India empowers users to access detailed and reliable product information in real-time, helping them make smarter and safer choices. Whether you’re checking product details, comparing options, or seeking information on sustainable practices, the app facilitates information needed for confident, informed shopping.

By using the Smart Consumer App, consumers can enjoy the peace of mind that comes from making decisions based on verified data, direct communication with brands, and real-time updates. This not only enhances personal shopping experiences but also promotes transparency and responsibility in the marketplace. Embrace the power of informed purchasing with the Smart Consumer App, and make choices that benefit both you and the broader market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is a smart consumer? 

A smart consumer is someone who makes informed purchase decisions by thoroughly researching products and understanding specific needs, the quality, and the value of goods or services. 

2. How can I be a smart customer?

Clearly identify your needs before purchasing, compare different products or services, set a realistic budget that aligns with your financial goals, and prioritise products offering the best value. 

3. What is an example of a consumer?

An example of a consumer is someone who goes to a supermarket to purchase groceries. 

4. Who is a consumer and the types of it?

A consumer is an individual, household, or organisation that purchases goods or services for personal use rather than for resale. The main types of consumers include individual consumers, who buy products for personal needs, households, which purchase for family use, and organisations, which buy products or services to support their operations. 

5. What is a Smart consumer app?

GS1 India’s Smart Consumer App, is an application designed to help consumers access real-time, detailed and accurate product information by scanning barcodes or manually entering product’s GTIN. 

6. How do you make smart consumer choices?

To make smart consumer choices, research well, set a budget, prioritise environment-friendly products, take warranties, and access complete, accurate information. 

7. Why do customers use apps?

Customers use apps because they provide convenient, real-time access to a wealth of product information. Apps like the Smart Consumer App streamline the shopping process by offering a single platform where consumers can research, evaluate, and make decisions about their purchases. 

EAN Number Check: Understanding the Verification Process

In today’s interconnected global market, product identification is critical to ensuring efficient operations, accurate inventory management, and enhanced customer satisfaction. The EAN number check plays an important role in this process. European Article Number (EAN) is a globally recognized barcode standard used on retail products

What is an EAN Number?

The EAN (European Article Number) is a unique 13-digit or 8-digit identification code assigned to products globally. It is used primarily to uniquely identify products, streamline the supply process, and facilitate effective inventory management. The EAN number consists of four key components: a country prefix, manufacturer code, product code, and a check digit that ensures the number’s integrity. Understanding these components helps businesses verify the accuracy of product information and maintain a transparent supply chain.

Importance of EAN Number Verification

Verifying EAN is essential for businesses since accurate barcode numbers ensure smooth operations, including inventory tracking, pricing accuracy, and supply chain management. 

Methods of EAN Number Verification

Several methods are available for verifying EAN numbers. Businesses can opt for manual verification, where human intervention plays a key role, or automated processes that utilise advanced software and barcode scanners to perform checks swiftly and accurately. For those wondering how to find EAN numbers for products, one can typically locate them on product packaging, near the barcode. Once identified, these numbers can be verified using the methods discussed below.

Manual EAN Number Verification

Manual verification involves cross-checking the EAN number against a reference database or performing a check digit calculation to confirm its accuracy. This method is simple but time-consuming and prone to human error. Despite its limitations, manual verification can be useful in small-scale operations where the volume of data is manageable.  DataKart is a nationalised product data repository which contains information on all retail products. It is powered by GS1 India and facilitates the verification of the authenticity of products being sold in the market. 

Smart Consumer Application 

Consumers can also check and validate EAN number by entering the number into the Smart Consumer’s mobile or web application. Smart Consumer accesses information directly from the centralised national product data repository and provides authentic information on the product registered with that EAN number. 

Automated EAN Number Verification

Automated systems simplify the EAN number check process using specialised software and barcode scanners. GS1 India provides GTIN Validation service, helpful to businesses who run large scale operations. Businesses can send the EAN in bulk to the email ID provided. This service rapidly verifies multiple EAN numbers, ensuring high accuracy and scalability for large businesses. Automated verification is preferred due to its speed and ability to minimise errors, making it ideal for complex supply chains.

Best Practices for EAN Number Verification

To enhance the reliability of your EAN number check process, consider the following best practices:

  • Use industry-standard tools like GS1 verification services for consistent results:
    Utilise GS1’s verification services to ensure that your EAN codes meet global standards, helping you avoid costly errors and product mismanagement. Regular checks through these services also ensure compliance with international barcode standards and improve the accuracy of product data management across various platforms.
  • Train staff on the importance of accurate data entry and verification:
    Educate your employees on how crucial precise data entry and barcode verification are for inventory control, customer satisfaction, and overall business efficiency. Implement regular training sessions to emphasise the impact of errors and how they can affect operations, ensuring that all employees understand the importance of meticulous barcode handling.
  • Reach out for automated verification service to handle large volumes of data efficiently:
    Consider adopting automated barcode verification services, especially for businesses dealing with high volumes of product data, to ensure scalability and accuracy. Automated tools not only reduce human errors but also streamline the process, providing real-time results and insights that help optimise inventory management and prevent costly mistakes.

Conclusion

In summary, the EAN number check is a vital aspect of product identification and inventory management. Accurate verification processes ensure that businesses maintain a streamlined supply chain, offer reliable products to consumers, and comply with global industry standards. By adopting best practices and leveraging modern verification tools, companies can significantly reduce errors and enhance overall efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is EAN?

EAN (European Article Number) is a globally recognised barcode standard used for product identification in various sectors. It typically consists of 13 digits or 8-digits, providing a unique identification of each product. 

How to buy EAN barcodes?

You can purchase EAN barcodes from GS1 India. To buy, businesses must register with GS1, select a package based on their product range, and complete the payment process. Once registered, businesses can create GTINs using the DataKart platform.

What is an example of EAN?

An example of an EAN is “8901860633662”. These numbers contain the country prefix, manufacturer code, product code, and check digit. 

What is a 13-digit EAN number?

A 13-digit EAN number consists of a country prefix (first 3 digits), manufacturer code, product code, and a check digit. This format is the global standard for a product identification number and allows seamless scanning at point-of-sale terminals worldwide.

What is the 14-digit EAN code?

The 14-digit EAN code, also known as GTIN-14, is primarily used for identifying trade items at higher packaging levels, such as pallets or bulk shipments. It extends the standard EAN-13 format by adding an additional digit at the beginning, which indicates the packaging level. 

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