Gift card barcodes: what they carry and how to print them

A gift card barcode is a machine-readable identifier that links a piece of plastic to a balance held in your system. Get the encoding wrong and the card scans as a product, activates twice, or cannot be redeemed at the one till that matters.

What does a gift card barcode carry?

The symbol does not hold a balance. It holds an identifier, and your point of sale looks that identifier up. Two numbers are usually in play and they are not interchangeable.

• The card number, unique to the physical card, encoded in the barcode on the back
• The product GTIN, identifying "gift card" as a sellable item, used when the card is rung up before activation

A card with no product code cannot be scanned into a basket. A card with no unique number cannot be activated or redeemed.

Which symbology should you use?

Code 128 is the default for the card number. It handles letters, digits and variable length, so a 16-digit or 19-digit scheme both fit without redesigning the label. Retail cards almost always use one of three symbols:

• Code 128 for the card number
• UPC-A or EAN-13 for the product GTIN when the card is sold as merchandise
• A QR code for a redemption URL as well as the number, which is what digital and print-at-home cards use

How do you print a barcode on plastic?

Plastic is harder than card, and for a reason people usually discover late: gloss. A glossy laminate reflects the scanner beam straight back and the read fails at some angles.

• Ask for a matte panel behind the barcode, even on an otherwise glossy card
• Keep dark bars on a light panel, and never print bars in red
• Thermal transfer or offset both work. Direct thermal fades in a wallet
• Keep the quiet zone clear of the card edge, the magnetic stripe and any signature panel. According to GS1 US, a UPC-A needs at least nine times the width of the narrowest bar on each side

A barcode running off the edge of a card means a reprint. Keep at least an eighth of an inch of white beyond the quiet zone.

Why do double scans and failed activations happen?

A card sold but not activated is worthless, and a card activated twice can be worth double. Both come from the till reading the wrong symbol.

• Put the product GTIN on the packaging or carrier, not beside the card number
• Keep the two symbols apart, ideally on different faces
• If both must sit on one face, separate them by at least half an inch and label them in plain text

How do digital gift cards work?

For emailed or app-based cards, a QR code holds the redemption URL and the card number together. One scan opens the balance page rather than making a cashier type sixteen digits.

A barcode generator produces the Code 128 and UPC-A symbols for physical cards, and the bulk barcode generator covers larger runs. A dynamic QR code lets you change the redemption destination later without reissuing cards already printed; dynamic codes start at $9 a month on the pricing page.

What should you do first?

1. Decide whether cards are sold as merchandise. If so, you need a product GTIN as well as card numbers
2. Generate the card number range, and keep the list. You cannot reissue a number you did not record
3. Choose Code 128 unless your till specifies otherwise
4. Specify a matte panel behind the barcode when you brief the card printer
5. Print five real cards on the real stock and scan them at the counter, under the actual lighting, at the angle a cashier holds a card
6. Carry one in a pocket for a week and scan it again. Abrasion kills gift card barcodes, and it does not show up in a proof