When it comes to scanners and amazon, there is a wide array of scanners to choose from which can make it difficult to decide on which one is right for your business. you may be asking yourself do I even need a scanner? or do I need multiple scanners? All of these questions will be answered and you will get 6 highly recommended scanners for your amazon business.
What is a scanner?
A scanner is an electronic device that is used to scan data like a barcode and use it as an input.
If you're not very tech savvy, that's okay! Most products in the world use a barcode to identify itself. If you were to look up a barcode on google or amazon you would find products matching that barcode in most cases. This is important for sellers in general because it can make buying, tracking, and selling product a streamlined and organized procedure. Scanners allow the user to relay the information from the barcode to another device such as a phone or a computer. This can make processes like sourcing inventory, or listing inventory a much easier task.
Do I need a scanner for Amazon FBA?
No, you dont actually need a scanner to sell on amazon but you may want one for many reasons.
You may not need a scanner at all if you are outsourcing work to other people or any of the following business models: private label, wholesale, and online arbitrage. If you are selling and buying items at retail stores, a scanner can be handy but not necessary. However, if you are selling used books, dvds, or cds, then you are going to want to be sure you have a scanner to help you find inventory. Also, If you are listing any of your own products, you may want a scanner for that for easy scanning your items into amazon seller central or your listing software of choice.
Should I have multiple scanners?
Well that depends on the size of your business and your operations.
If your business is just getting off the ground, you really only need 1 scanner to get the job done. If you are wanting extra speed and convenience, you may consider getting another. As a bookseller I actually own several scanners. I have several scanners for sourcing products and I have one specifically for listing products.
What are the best scanners on the market?
While there are many to choose from we have narrowed it down to just 6 scanners.
The scanners that made it to this list have either been used by me personally or by someone I personally know. They are the best of the best and they have been ordered by least recommended to most recommended. All the scanners that made it to this list are great scanners and it really comes down to personal choice. These scanners have been mainly used for the purposes of selling books, DVDs, CDs and video games, as well other products with a UPC.
The nadamoo scanner made it onto the list because it's cheap and is used by many in the bookselling community. The nadamoo is a versatile scanner to get because it can be used via bluetooth to your phone or laptop, or be used wirelessly via a usb dongle on a desktop or can be wired to the device via usb port. It is a medium sized scanner so if you are bad when it comes to misplacing items, it could work for you better than some of the other scanners on this list. It does feature a long 12 hour battery life for long days of scanning or if you are forgetful like I am, that battery life can save you when you need to scan. In addition it does have options for no sound, or a beep, as well as a vibrate option. And if you like colors, this one does have 5 color options. All in all this is a great scanner for a good price under $50.00.
The Eyoyo Mini barcode scanner is another great option. It is cheaper than the nadamoo coming in just under $40.00. It also features the ability to be used via bluetooth, wireless dongle, and wired. The Eyoyo Mini is smaller than the nadamoo making it a bit easier to put in your pocket. The battery life for this scanner is only 5 hours and it can only read 1D barcodes. you may not have a problem with a 5 hour battery life if you aren't using it all day. You may also never use it for 2D barcodes, which may be a deal breaker if you scan 2D barcodes. The scanner also has options for a beep, vibrate, or no sound. Be sure to keep the manual for this one because the settings that can be adjusted are barcodes you scan. Overall, this is good scanner for someone who may just started dabbling into selling on amazon.
The Opticon has been a titan in the bookselling community for years because of its small, sleek, and rugged design. It is a very simple design with only 2 buttons. This scanner does offer a long battery life of 12 hours for all day scanning. It does offer the ability to be operated with a beep or no sound. The opticon doesn't offer a vibration feature which is helpful to build momentum when scanning a large quantity of items. It is on the more expensive side usually about $200.00. That reason alone is why this scanner did not make it higher on this list.
This scanner made it this high on the list even though it is wired, weird right? Actually, this scanner has been a huge asset to my business when it comes to listing items on amazon to sell. This scanner has an adjustable stand and the scanner has motion sensing ability. Its incredible, I wave a book or dvd under the scanner, the red laser lights up and beep. My barcode is successfully input into whatever application I'm running. it can also be used by squeezing the trigger. The ability to scan books into my listing software without ever having to touch the scanner is the main reason this scanner made it so high on this list. That, and it doesn't hurt that it has a price tag of only $25.00.
This scanner is definitely one of the best scanners available on the current market. This scanner has sound and vibration and the fact that its strapped to your finger means your much less likely to drop it, which can happen more often than you think. It also frees up your other fingers to perform other tasks. It is much easier to scan books quickly when you have those extra fingers to shuffle through books at a fast paced library sale. Also, it can be used on either hand and can even be used on the underside of your hand to scan stealthily. To see what I mean you can watch the video below. Overall, a great scanner with a medium price of around $75.00.
This scanner has made it to the top of the list for many reasons. And it's no surprise that eyoyo has made it to the top 2 spots on this list. They have been putting out some heat on some of the barcode scanner designs. This scanner is great because it is small like the opticon, and has sound and vibration functions. This scanner has 10 hours of working time with only 2 hours of charge time. Oh, did I forget to mention that it has a screen! Yes, it's got an LCD screen and even shows you your battery life. It also has some of the latest scan technology and picks up barcodes better than older models. I like that it has an on/off switch that makes turning it on and off easier than other scanners that may need to be disconnected by holding a button. And the basic settings like sound and vibrate can be changed right on screen in a matter a clicks. No more looking for that manual that you can't seem to find when your scanner reset. This scanner is usually $50.00-$70.00 depending on the colorway you choose.
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