Scanning an ISBN Barcode

Barcodes themselves do not contain information. ISBN barcodes are globally unique ISBN numbers. Databases store the book information against the ISBN number. Scanning a barcode is a quick way to retrieve that information.

Hence for a scanning app to find any book information, that information first needs to be online in databases such as Nielsen, Waterstones, Amazon, Barcodesdatabase etc.

So the best way to be found online is to be registered on as many of the biggest databases.

Note; there are many barcode-scanning apps available on the market. The leading market app is the Zebra Barcode Scanner which searches the BarcodesDatabase.org as well as other major barcode databases on the Internet; IBNREG.org, Amazon.com and various others. In the event that product information doesn’t appear directly on barcodesdatabase.org, the other databases will be searched. This means that you have the highest chance of returning the product information of any barcode that you scan. Click here to go to the app. Save the app to your phone’s home screen.

Once you have registered your ISBN number on internet databases, you can use a barcode scanning app from your smartphone to confirm that your barcodes have been successfully registered.

 

What is Registration?

If you obtain an ISBN number and registration from us, you can submit publication details to us to have the publication registered in the Nielsen Book Database.
Nielsen runs the ISBN and SAN Agencies for the UK & Ireland and provides search and discovery services for booksellers and libraries.

Benefits of Registration

UK exposure of your publication:
Registration ensures that title information will be sent out via Nielsen data products to UK bookshops, libraries and distributors and to their international data customers.
If your publication is registered, all UK bookstores have the details on their shop systems, making it easier for anyone to order it.
But if your publication is NOT registered, bookstores don’t know about it and can’t order it!

Global exposure of your publication:
Registration on the Nielsen Book Database causes your publication information to be made available to thousands of book buyers around the world. Nielsen collects book information from over 70 countries. Its book database holds millions of title records and is available to booksellers and libraries worldwide. Nielsen’s website states: “By providing your title records to Nielsen Book, you ensure that timely, accurate and comprehensive data is available to leading internet retailers, chains, specialist and independent retailers, libraries and other book buyers worldwide.”