Sales Promotion with Trackable Coupons

Track Coupons Using Global Coupon Numbers (GCN)

You are a retailer, coupon issuer, distributor or a marketing agency and would like to distribute and track coupons?

Then you should think about applying for standardized and globally unique numbers for such purposes. Starting this year (2013) the GS1 organization in Belgium and Luxembourg maintains and issues global coupon numbers. Because such a GCN is based on the GS1 company prefix, it is worldwide unique.

Personalized and Non-Personalized Coupons

For non-personalized coupons only the so-called GCN part 1 is required to identify a coupon. For personalized coupons the coupon issuer needs to utilize GCN part 2 (basically a serial number) as well.

In addition each coupon must be assigned a coupon value.

GS1 DataBar Expanded for Coupons 

Based on the available space on your coupon, select either the GS1 DataBar Expanded or the GS1 DataBar Expanded Stacked bar-code symbology.

The GS1 DataBar barcode encodes the GCN using application identifier AI (255). The value of the coupon is encoded by means of AI (390x). It is required that such a GS1 DataBar starts with AI (255) followed by AI (390x). The use of AI (01) along with AI (255) in a single coupon barcode is forbidden.

The barcode must be applied to each coupon. It does not matter whether you distribute paper coupons, eCoupons (printed by the customer) or digital coupons (e.g. coupons received and presented with smartphones).

GCN Barcode Maker Software

TEC-IT's barcode creator software Barcode Studio V15.1 was recently extended with a convenient assistant to support the creation of GCN barcodes with AI (255):

Barcode Studio's Global Coupon Number Assistant

Barcode Studio is a professional tool for creating bar codes. Single bar-codes as well as series of bar-codes are created in no time at all. Barcode data can be entered manually or imported from CSV files. The created bar codes are exported as bitmap or vector images for further processing. Barcode Studio V15.1, which also incorporates simple label printing functions, is available for Windows and Mac OS X.

A free, fully functional 10-day trial is available for download:

Barcode Studio for Windows
Barcode Studio for Mac OS X

About TEC-IT

+TEC-IT Datenverarbeitung GmbH provides high quality software in the areas of automated data acquisition and data collection, bar-coding, barcode extensions for ERP systems, label and form printing, report generators and output management. TEC-IT products are available for all major platforms, thus customers benefit from complete and versatile software solutions for all possible requirements. The company is located in Austria / Europe and can be reached via www.tec-it.com.

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