When a customer wants to check a product’s price in a supermarket, a quick barcode scan will reveal the information. What happens when one of its parts doesn’t function properly? As a supermarket owner, you should ensure your price checker’s components work together to verify an item’s price.
In this article, you’ll learn how a price checker works and discover how it specifically applies to your supermarket.
Main Components of a Price Checker
Before we discuss how a price checker works, you’ll need to learn about its main components. These enable a price checker to scan a barcode and display a product’s price. Here are the five main components of a price checker:
| Component | Function |
| Barcode Scanner | Reads a product’s barcode by emitting light |
| Software | Connects the information from a barcode to the business’s digital database |
| Screen | Displays price and other information to the customer |
| Network Connection | Synchronizes data from the product database to the price checker |
| Hardware and Peripherals | Increases the functionality of a price checker |
Caption: A closer look at a price checker’s hardware [Image: Bimi Price Verifiers]
Barcode Scanner
A barcode scanner emits light (usually LED or laser) onto a product’s barcode. The projected light should properly illuminate the barcode for an accurate reading. The entirety of each barcode corresponds to a specific product’s information.
Barcodes have black and white lines as well as numbers to differentiate products from each other. Price checkers have 1D/2D barcode scanners so they can scan common barcode symbologies such as:
- Universal Product Code (UPC)
- European Article Number (EAN)
- Code 39
- Code 128
- DataMatrix
- QR Code
The barcode scanners in price checkers are typically built in. The best price checker manufacturers ensure their scanners read many types of barcode symbologies in different environments. This ensures a price checker’s scanner can read barcodes from a distance or in low light.
Software
Caption: A price checker that runs on a Windows operating system. [Image: Bimi Price Checker]
Price checkers run on Android, Windows, Linux, and iOS operating systems. These systems enable business owners to connect their machines to software and product databases. One of the benefits of a price checker is its ability to integrate with other software for:
- Inventory management
- Price monitoring
- Customer loyalty program
- Sales tracking
- Point-of-Sale (POS) system
The machine’s operating system determines the amount of information a business can add to a database. A product’s price, detailed description, stock count, and other information are stored in these databases.
Screen
Prices are displayed in a price verifier’s screen. Some machines have a capacitive touchscreen with an LED display or LCD. For touchscreen devices, quick response times contribute to their ease of use, especially for customers.
Aside from response times, price verifier screens are designed to have high-resolution displays. This enables customers to view product information in different light conditions in a store.
Manufacturers create price checkers with different screen sizes. These typically range from 5” to 21” screens, so business owners can choose a screen that fits their store area.
Network Connection
A price checker relies on its connection to the software and databases to display prices. This connection also helps automatically synchronize data from the software with the price checker.
To do this, a reliable network connection is required. Here are the common ways price checkers connect to a business’s network:
- Wi-Fi
- Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
- Local Area Network (LAN)
- Bluetooth
Businesses that prefer wireless network connections can seamlessly transmit data using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. However, some connections, such as PoE and LAN, require cables to connect the machine to the local network. PoE and LAN provide a stable network connection. The good news is that price checkers include ports for these cables and other hardware.
Hardware and Peripherals
As mentioned above, price checkers are customizable and built to accommodate additional peripherals. Wired connections, which include cables for PoE and LAN, are easily plugged into designated ports in the machine. Regardless of the types of peripherals that are added to a machine, price checkers include hardware to support these.
A price checker’s SSD, RAM, motherboard, and other hardware affect its processing power. Higher-quality hardware enables a machine to perform complex tasks without slowing down. Advanced hardware also allows businesses to further customize their system’s integrations.
Peripherals
Aside from network cables, price checkers include USB ports that business owners can use to add peripherals. To increase the machine’s functionalities, these are the common peripherals available:
- Printer
- Fingerprint scanner
- Webcam
- RFID scanner
- Speakers
- Status light
- Payment terminal
Mounts and stands are also commonly attached to price checkers. Business owners place price checkers in strategic locations in their stores. To increase the visibility of the machines, they’re mounted on shelves, walls, counters, or even placed on stands. Furthermore, some manufacturers design price checkers that can be mounted onto shopping carts.
How Price Checkers Work in a Supermarket
Caption: A price checker attached to a shopping cart is being used to verify an item’s price [Image: Bimi Price Kiosk]
A price checker’s components work together to enable it to verify prices. Your price checkers send and deliver product information within your business’s ecosystem. Because of this, your machines should be built for accurate and reliable data transfer. In this section, we’ll use price checkers in a supermarket to illustrate how they work.
Step 1: Add Product Information to Database
The first step in this process is done on the back end. The employees input prices and product information into the supermarket’s database. This is where an item’s price, expiry date, stock number, and other information are stored.
The database is connected to other systems, such as inventory management and POS software, to centralize information. Even if the product information is manually uploaded, integrations within the system help supermarkets streamline data.
Step 2: Transmit the Barcode’s Information
The products in a supermarket have unique barcodes. When a customer scans an item’s barcode using a price checker, the machine translates the code. Then, this decoded data is transmitted to the system’s database.
The network connection transmits the data read by the price check to the database for the next step. In addition, the price checker’s ability to read barcodes in various lighting conditions helps produce accurate barcode scans.
Step 3: The item’s Information is pulled from the Database
Once the system receives the decoded data, it is then matched to the correct item in the database. Relevant information, including price, is collected and ready to be sent back to the price checker.
Integrations allow you to customize the information that will be transmitted to the price checker. We’ll discuss this more in the next step of this process.
Step 4: Display Price and Relevant Information to the Customer
The price and product information are transmitted back to the price checker and displayed on its screen. Price checkers with touchscreen displays allow customers to view relevant information, including expiry dates, nutritional information, item location, and more.
Aside from this, one of the core functions of a price checker is to display a store’s promotions. You can configure your price checker to display media even while a machine is idle. Furthermore, you can also display customer loyalty perks to encourage customers to browse and buy more items.
Built for Your Success
A price checker’s reliability and accuracy rely on its components. From barcode scanning to displaying prices, a price checker should have fast response times and be reliable in different environments. With high-quality components, customers can easily verify prices while shopping, and businesses can gain their loyalty.
Looking for a price checker that’s tailored for your business? Bimi’s experts have more than 15 years of industry experience to guide you. Bimi’s price checkers are built with high-quality hardware and undergo comprehensive quality checks before they reach your store. If you’re looking for powerful and customizable machines, Bimi’s experts are here to help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do the main components of a price checker work together?
The five main components of a price checker are:
- Barcode scanner
- Software
- Screen
- Network Connection
- Hardware and peripherals
The barcode scanner reads and decodes the barcode. This information is then transmitted using a network connection into the business’s product database. A price checker’s software connects it to this database and other systems. When this happens, the barcode data is matched to its corresponding product information.
Afterwards, the price and product information are sent back to the price checker and displayed on the screen. For a price checker’s optimal performance, it should have powerful hardware. The price checker’s hardware affects the speed and reliability of its performance.
Mounts, stands, printers, speakers, and other peripherals enable a business to add functionalities to their machines. They can also customize the information displayed by their price checkers using integrations to other software.
2. How do you choose a price checker for a supermarket?
A price checker in a supermarket should have high-quality components for reliable performance. Its barcode scanner should be able to read 1D/2D barcodes accurately in different lighting conditions. It should also scan barcodes at a distance.
Its screen should have a high-resolution display so customers can easily view an item’s price. If the price checker has a touchscreen, it should have fast response times. This enables customers to quickly access prices and detailed product information.
A price checker in a supermarket should integrate seamlessly with other systems. To do this, its RAM, SSD, and other hardware should be built to support complex processes. Furthermore, its software should support these integrations and centralize business information.
3. What types of network connections do price checkers have?
Price checkers use wireless and wired network connections to transmit and receive information. These are the commonly used network connections:
| Wireless | Wired |
| · Wi-Fi · Bluetooth | · PoE · LAN |
With an internet connection, businesses can use both types of networks simultaneously. However, using Wi-Fi allows wireless data transfer as long as there is an internet connection. PoE and LAN connections via cable enable businesses to transmit and receive data even without an internet connection.
On the other hand, connecting peripherals via Bluetooth enables businesses to use external barcode scanners, among other things. This enables businesses with smaller store areas to maximize their space as well.
4. Do price checker screens have different sizes?
Yes, price checker screens are available in different sizes. The range of screen sizes depends on the price checker manufacturer. You can typically find screens ranging from 5” to 10” and even up to 24”.
The wide selection of screen sizes allows businesses to find the right price checker to maximize their store area. Small supermarkets can use compact 5” models and mount these on shelves or walls.
On the other hand, a bigger screen can boost a price checker’s visibility. Regardless of the machine’s screen size, business owners can attach it to a stand or mount for better accessibility.
5. What does a price checker’s barcode scanner do?
When a customer scans a product using a price checker, the barcode scanner helps the system identify the product. A barcode scanner illuminates an item’s barcode using LED or laser light.
By emitting light, it reads and decodes the barcode pattern. Each barcode pattern is unique and corresponds to a product in a business’s database. Price checkers are built with barcode scanners that can read various barcode types. This enables businesses to catalog their products accurately.
The barcode scanner also enables customers to verify product prices in low-light conditions. The light emitted by a price checker should be bright enough to accurately read the whole barcode. In addition, high-quality barcode scanners can read barcodes from a distance. This makes price verification more convenient for customers.
6. Where does a price checker get product information from?
A price checker pulls product information from the business’s digital database. This is where price, expiry dates, inventory data, and other item information are stored. The information is uploaded by employees into the system as a back-end process.
Integrations enable businesses to store more comprehensive information in the databases. These also help streamline data across the various software used by the business’s database. To filter the information displayed on the price checkers, businesses can also customize this using integrations.
7. What types of software can you connect to a price checker?
A price checker’s functionalities are expanded using integrations. By connecting to other systems, businesses can store more information and streamline processes. They can connect to software such as:
- Inventory management
- Price monitoring
However, the extent of these integrations is also determined by the machine’s operating system and processing power. While Android and Windows are commonly used operating systems, Linux offers the most flexibility for customization. On the other hand, the quality of hardware affects how well the machine processes complex databases and software.
8. How does a price checker’s hardware affect its performance?
The processing power of a price checker is determined by its hardware. A price checker with high-quality hardware enables it to perform complex tasks. Hardware such as the SSD, RAM, motherboard, and processor with advanced specifications boost a machine’s computing power.
With powerful hardware, a price checker can reliably transmit and receive data from a massive database. Aside from this, the machine can handle complex integrations and system configurations without slowing down. In addition, high-quality hardware enables printers, webcams, and additional peripherals to work seamlessly when connected to a machine.
9. Can price checkers be attached to shopping carts?
Yes, some manufacturers create price checkers that can be attached to shopping carts. Instead of approaching a price checker every time a product’s price needs verification, this is a more convenient placement.
This is especially helpful for supermarkets where customers are buying essentials and large amounts of items. By attaching a price checker to a shopping cart, a customer can now spend more time browsing products. Aside from convenience, this added portability helps businesses maximize the use of their shopping carts and floor area.
10. What peripherals can you add to a price checker?
The peripherals you can add to a price checker depend on its manufacturer. Aside from this, the design of a price checker determines the add-ons you can choose from.
Manufacturers typically provide USB and cable ports that enable you to add peripherals. However, some manufacturers require you to purchase peripherals directly from them.
Peripherals enable you to expand the functionalities of your price checker. Wireless peripherals can also be added using a Bluetooth connection. Aside from mounts and stands, here are some examples of price checker peripherals:
- Printer
- Fingerprint scanner
- Webcam
- Speakers
English 
Spanish 
Arabic 
Russian 
