This feature is available with some paid plans
2D Barcodes are QR Codes that are used much like traditional barcodes, the striped codes you see on product packaging. 2D Barcodes hold both a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) for a product and a link to the online content of your choice. When you create 2D Barcodes in Bitly, you're able to store and communicate more information than you can with traditional barcodes.
2D Barcodes empower suppliers and retailers to access product information with minimal effort, while consumers can scan them to learn more about the products they're buying and to connect with brands.
GS1-compliant 2D Barcodes
Bitly's 2D Barcodes are compliant with GS1 standards, the most widely used supply chain standards in the world.
GS1 is a not-for-profit organization that created standards to help businesses collaborate across the supply chain. These standards make it easy for businesses to identify, capture, and share vital information about products, locations, assets, and more.
These standards also help support many regulatory compliance requirements for a number of industries, including healthcare and the food industry.
Monthly limits for Bitly 2D Barcodes
A 2D Barcode consumes both one QR Code and one link from your QR Code and link limits, respectively. Visit the billing & usage page in your account settings to view your limits.
Create 2D Barcodes with the Bitly API
With the Bitly API, it's easy to create GS1-compliant 2D Barcodes at whatever scale your business requires.
To create one, use a POST request to /v4/qr-codes. This request needs to include both a key (the GS1 Application Identifier, or AI) and value (the Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN). The key is always 01, and the value corresponds to the GTIN for your product.
To view an example, go to QR Codes on our API Reference list and select GS1 from the dropdown menu on the sample request. To learn more about GS1 AIs and GTINs, visit the Standards section of the GS1 website.
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