Growing a jewelry business can overwhelm you once you start placing more and more orders for jewelry and parts. You might need a better way of managing your supplies so that you can more easily place orders and know what stock you've got. You'll need new inventory management software and barcode scanners to track purchases. With them, you can better record information, eventually analyzing jewelry purchases and plan better for different seasons. But what kind of scanners should you opt for? Consider these questions.

Where Do You Sell Your Jewelry?

Your jewelry can be sold almost anywhere, but the places you use most are important to think about when purchasing scanners. If you sell in your own store, stationary scanners that you can brush the jewelry against are suitable. If you're selling at the farmers' market or artist fair every week, you'll need a mobile model but you'll also need one that won't break with one fall on the concrete or grass.

Who Will Be Using the Scanners?

If you're the only person who will be working with the scanners you purchase, you need to know that they feel comfortable inside your dominant hand. Even if you ultimately are going to place an online order, find out whether you can physically try out the scanners first. They can't be bulky or have a strange-feeling grip if you plan to use them all day long. When you've got employees who will be operating the scanners on their own, you should have everyone handle the model you're considering so that they can give you feedback.

If you have friends helping out in a warehouse who need to record information about the items they're scanning, the use of stationary scanners could make more sense.

How Quickly Will You Use the Information?

Without wi-fi capability, many scanners upload the information they've scanned periodically throughout the day. If you require instantaneous transmission so that someone else can take action or for another reason, it's wise to buy scanners that can detect wi-fi networks.

How Long Will You Keep the Scanners?

Scanner technologically is exciting and rapidly changing. If you only want simple, wired scanners, know that they are unable to read QR encrypted information and other new information. That can work for you in the short term, but as the jewelry company grows you may find that you've outgrown your scanners. Try to select models you won't replace for a while.

Better inventory management can allow you to grow your jewelry business without it getting away from you. Barcode scanners can make management easier; these questions pinpoint the types you need. With the right ones, you can soon feel more confident about the way your business is going.