Use GS1 QR Code For Product Authentication And Warranties

Your journey to reduce losses from warranty claims begins by tracking and tracing individual products. Sometimes, parts are defective. Rather than including faulty parts in your production, isolate them and update the GS1 data.

Your business can also reduce shrinkage by sourcing components and parts from reliable partners with an impeccable GS1 history.

If you know that every component in the final product meets your quality standards, you can protect your business from returns, replacements, exchanges, or service requests.

Discover Defective Parts

Companies often overlook the importance of  GS1 QR code for product authentication and warranties in uncovering defective instruments and parts. If consumers are returning products for a specific reason, you can use the GS1 data from the GS1 barcode to verify the origin of the part or component.

Then, using gs1:epcis, you can update the EPCIS repository to ensure partners within the supply chain know the part may be faulty.

Guarantee Compliance

Ensure components are industry-compliant. To reduce the expense of warranties, ensure every part of the final product is compliant. GS1 data helps you determine this.

Furthermore, you can use  GS1 QR code for product authentication and warranties to confirm whether the parts originate from a reputable source before including them in your final product.

Access Real-time Data 

Authenticate Products

Ensure that the warranties you're keeping for products you're responsible for placing on the market. You can include this information in the B2B GS1 data by including "gs1:verificationService" in the product QR code.

You can also include other master data that only retailers who sell the product can access to ascertain whether the product is authentic. This way, retailers will become the first and last line of defense protecting your business from fraudulent consumers. 

6 Steps to Use GS1 QR Code for Product Authentication And Warranties

GS1 simplifies how businesses can authenticate and manage warranties. These codes enable you to manage these warranties with B2B partners and consumers using the same product label QR code.

Partners within the supply chain will access the B2B data because they have access to GS1-compliant scanners. However, consumers can access B2C data through the QR scanners on their smartphones. The use of GS1 QR codes for product authentication and warranties is ideal.

Develop Your Warranty Terms

The first part of managing warranties is creating your warranty terms. Your warranty terms need to be focused on.

• You need to ensure your timeframe uses applicable law. However, you can extend that timeframe to gather practical data. Consumers are more likely to engage with businesses with extended warranties, but those warranties can also be a goldmine of data.

• Identify what proof consumers should provide to validate the warranty. The proof could be as simple as a product box or other packaging, or it could also be a receipt or invoice.

• Many customers attempt to return products that are no longer in a resalable condition, costing retailers and manufacturers millions in losses. You can reduce that by specifying what condition products should be in your B2C GS1 links. Specifically, add the following links: gs1:relatedImage, gs1:relatedVideo

• Define what reasons are acceptable for initiating the warranty process. Does a product need to be defective to access the warranty? Should consumers not be able to use the product for its purpose? Defining the reasons for a warranty should reduce the amount of consumers returning an item because they no longer need it. 

Define Warranty Term Coverage

Now is the time to familiarize yourself with how you cover products under warranty and their eligibility requirements.

Remember the warranty terms also protect your business from legal liability while ensuring you comply with relevant legislation. Therefore, you want to be as specific as possible in your terms.
Highlight what consumer actions or force activity cancels the warranty.

Require Consumers Register Products for Warranties

Customers are a critical component in implementing warranties. Therefore, prioritize informing them of the warranties and ensuring they're registering their ownership of the product. You can use the B2C components of the GS1 link types to ensure customers follow through on the terms outlined in steps 1 and 2.

Consider using the warranty QR code "gs1:registerProduct" link for this purpose. This GS1 link allows consumers to register products for warranties after scanning a GS1 barcode.
Note: Use a GS1 QR code generator to create the QR code you will attach to product labels.

Determine Whether Warranty is Valid With Product QR Code

When consumers request maintenance or repairs on a product, your number one priority should be ensuring the product they're returning is authentic. The GS1 2D barcode is valuable for this purpose. Rather than relying solely on invoices or their assurances, your business can use the barcodes to identify the product's authenticity. If consumers attempt to return products to retailers to access the warranty, retailers should use a GS1 barcode to guarantee the product's authenticity and determine if it's still under warranty.

Create GS1 QR Code For Product Authentication 

The GS1 QR code for product authentication and warranties includes data that help authenticate products and reduce loss. Essentially, this GS1 2D barcode offers your company information that reduces shrinkage.

You can find whether a product is defective using the GS1 QR code. Then, you can pinpoint which parts are causing the faults and make data-driven decisions about including those parts in your products. The GS1 code is your gateway to a complete cost-benefit analysis.

Try our GS1 QR code generator to authenticate your products, and visit our website QR TIGER for more exclusive offers.

DISCLAIMER: We acknowledge that GS1, as well as the materials, proprietary items, and all related patents, copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property (collectively, “intellectual property”) relating to its use, are the property of GS1 Global, and that our use of the same shall be in accordance with the conditions provided by GS1 Global.