Barcode, QR or RFID tags for a clothing store or jeweller

A barcode is a printed line pattern that a scanner reads one at a time, in line of sight. A QR code is a square pattern that holds more characters and can be read by a phone camera.

An RFID tag holds a chip and an antenna. A reader sends a radio signal and the tag answers with its number, so a handheld wand can read many tags at once without seeing them.

All three do the same core job. They carry a number that matches one record in your stock system. The record, not the tag, holds the price, size, weight and history.

Barcode labels print on a cheap thermal printer in minutes. Staff can tag a delivery at the back table with a roll of labels and a printer, and a tag costs very little per piece.

QR labels print the same way, so effort is similar. The difference is what you choose to encode: a short link, a product page or a certificate number.

RFID tags cost more per piece, and each needs encoding with its number. Printers that print and encode in one pass exist. For a shop selling low-priced basics, the tag cost matters; for higher-value pieces it is minor.

With barcodes, a stock take means picking up each piece and scanning the tag. A two-person team can count a rack of shirts, but it takes the whole day for a large floor.

RFID changes that. Walk the aisle with a handheld reader and it picks up the tags on a whole rail, often in seconds. Stock takes that closed a shop for a day can shrink to an hour or two.

Be realistic about accuracy. Readers miss tags behind metal fixtures and can pick up stock from the next room, so you still need a check on discrepancies.

On clothing, a swing tag on a plastic loop, a sewn-in label or a sticker inside the care label all work. Barcodes on swing tags tear off in fitting rooms, so a stitched label lasts longer.

Jewellery is harder. Rings and bangles are small and metal. Barcode labels on a tiny paper tag are fine for display, while RFID tags on or near metal lose range, so choose a tag made for metal.

Watches, gold chains and polished silver also resist stickers. Tag a small card or a string tag that stays with the piece, and put the weight and purity on the record, not the tag.

The record needs a unique number per piece for single items such as a diamond ring, and a shared number for a style and size for shirts. Decide which you are doing before printing a roll.

For jewellery, add the piece number to the sales invoice so a returned piece can be matched to the sale. Photograph high-value items and attach the photo and certificate number.

Start with barcodes on one rail or one case, run a count, and note how long it took and how many mismatches turned up. That gives you a real basis for deciding whether RFID is worth a trial.