Bar Codes

The publishing industry is changing with the transition to the ISBN-13 and new bar code standards. These documents help publishers understand new requirements and bar code configurations that enhance scanning, data exchange and reporting, and increase efficiency while reducing operational costs.

Shipping Standards

Standardizing how products are shipped creates significant receiving efficiencies. The BISAC Shipping Label Guidelines help publishers identify how to create shipping and carton lables and where to place them on shipments. These guidelines can be adapted for other product categories. For suppliers unable to comply, helpful practices would include putting packing slips and invoices at the top of packed cartons or in sealed external packets so retailers don't have to dig through shipments to see what's in them.

Also important is using standardized Univeral Product Codes (UPCs) on individual items, especially gift products. These products often aren't coded, requiring significant manual processing not only in the back room but also in scanning at cash wrap.