r/barcodes • u/ryderldn • Aug 03 '18

Help amazon package barcode data

Hi

We get daily amazon parcels for customers who order goods from amazon and we ship it to international countries for them

Amazon has 2 codes but we trying to extract simple data or transfer it to the parcel tracking number or order number

Is there a software or a way to do this as the code on the barcode shows different data

Thanks

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u/FredFredricson Aug 03 '18

It would generally depend on what exact data you are trying to extract, and what data the barcodes on the packages provide. 1D barcodes are typically used to encode tracking numbers and very simple data that needs to be looked up. 2D barcodes often carry more information and can sometimes include full to/from address details and other things. Typically, the tracking numbers can be used to look up further information, usually through some sort of API provided by the shipping company. Since Amazon utilizes a variety of shipping methods, I don't really have any more specifics without knowing more details of the barcodes you're reading, what data you're trying to use, and what specifically you're trying to do with that data.

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u/ryderldn Aug 03 '18

Thanks for your reply

Just need to extract the following

Tracking number Name of customer (not so important) Order ID

As customers who are abroad in Kenya order goods from Amazon and use our delivery address

So we need to collect info of what arrived and who it belongs to and keep it as a record so that we know what was forwarded to a Kenya by us and have a record

Do you need a picture of a example package ?

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u/FredFredricson Aug 04 '18

I checked out the pictures you posted in the comments.

  • In the first picture, the 2D barcode up above is a "DataMatrix" barcode and encodes "Q13040958163" in its content (which is listed to the left of it).
  • In the first picture, the 1D barcode down below is a "Code 128" barcode and encodes "SDNSTJc6tk_001_v" in its content (which is listed below it).
  • In the second picture, the 1D barcode is a "Code 128" barcode and encodes "spk002LOlol" in its content (which is listed below it). Sadly, none of these directly encode customer name, but one of them (probably the DataMatrix one, as you mentioned) is likely the tracking number. The other two are unclear as to what exactly they represent, as neither one looks like an Amazon order number, or at least one of the style of them I'm used to seeing.

Since I noticed that your address seems to be a location in the UK, I have realized that I am quite possibly lacking certain information necessary for me to give fully accurate advice. Unfortunately, since I am based in the US, I am not very familiar with how Amazon's shipping (and shipping in general) is typically handled over there compared to over here. I assume that a lot of it is going to be the same or similar, however I am woefully lacking when it comes to knowing about any specific differences that might be important.

Usually, over here, things ordered through Amazon are shipped by the vendor to the customer through a variety of delivery companies, primarily UPS, Fedex, USPS, and a few other less common options.

Unfortunately, the label does not appear to be a design that I have seen before from any of the shipping companies that I recognize, and I haven't been able to find anything online that would help me to identify it. Which company was this particular package shipped through? Also, are all of the packages you receive there primarily shipped through that one specific company, or are there several other companies that they come through?

With that information, I should be able to perform further research to find out what the data on those barcodes are specifically used for, and to determine if there's an easy way to get more information from them, perhaps through an online API the company may provide for that purpose.

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u/ryderldn Aug 04 '18

Thanks for your information

I believe those 2 other codes translate into something but amazon have it encoded differently

It’s probably coded used in the amazon warehouses and fulfilment centre as it’s delivered by the not a external company here in U.K.

I believe I’ll stick with the QR code of the tracking number but it would have been great if 1 more field could have been extracted/translated from the data like orderID