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GS1 Digital Link for Electronics & Consumer Goods

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If you’re an electronics and consumer goods dealer anywhere in the world, you need a seamless solution to transition to Sunrise 2027. With EU product labeling regulations getting tighter, and international consumers seeking more sustainability with less packaging, a 2D barcode that does it all is the solution. 

QR codes give you the ability to connect beautiful landing pages, grow intentional customer experiences, serialize products, and more.

Offering GS1 Digital Link QR codes to product packaging for electronics and consumer goods enables you to provide a value-added digital experience every time. Streamline smart packaging that holds links for large quantities of information about regulations, product instruction manuals, sustainability measures, warranties, giveaways, social media connections, etc.

In this use case, we’ll explore the benefits, best practices, and tips for providing your customers with a GS1 Digital Link on your products!

The Technical Benefits of a GS1 Digital Link for Electronics & Consumer Goods

In this section, we’ll go over some of the essentials for streamlining the technical processes of millions of SKUs and smart packaging. You don’t need to be an engineer to do this. Learn how to please customers and create engagement while satisfying regulators and improving supply chain integration!

White-label GS1 Digital Link solutions

A white-label GS1 Digital Link solution enables an electronics or consumer goods brand, retailer, or service provider to offer GS1 Digital Link generation, management, and resolver functionality under its own branding without building the core system from scratch. This typically includes creating GS1-compliant Digital Link URLs and QR codes for products using GTINs and other identifiers. This is done easily with Trueqrcode, and you stay in control of your own QR codes.

Integrating a resolver service that directs scans to the appropriate content based on device, role, and language can be easily connected to Trueqrcode QR codes.

With your own custom domains and landing pages, you give various audiences a reason to scan content that you control and update at any time from the backend without reprinting a physical code. We also enable bulk generation APIs/integrations with your ERP/PIM. Another benefit is the custom branding with customizable QR codes under your name and even a QR code logo, not the tech vendor’s.

REST API integration

REST API integration means that your system can send data to and pull data from another platform. The process is automated, not manual, and the systems stay in sync. This is relevant to QR codes because brands can automatically create QR codes from Trueqrcode, then update the Digital Link URLs when product info changes with our dynamic QR codes. You can also link ERP / PIM systems to QR or resolver platforms.

Bulk QR code generation

Trueqrcode’s bulk QR code generator allows electronics and consumer goods companies to go beyond a product-level QR code to serialize each item with an item-level QR code. This prevents theft, protects from counterfeits, enables customers to register easily for warranties with their product’s serial number, and more. You can easily batch generate QR codes using our .csv template download, filling it out, and reuploading it into the QR code generator.

Technical support & SLAs

When QR codes, APIs, or GS1 Digital Links are integrated into products, they become always-on services that customers, partners, and retailers rely on every time they scan. Technical support and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) exist to make sure these services keep working reliably. If something goes wrong, such as a link not resolving, data not updating correctly, or a system outage, technical support defines who is responsible for fixing the issue and how quickly they will respond.

SLAs add an extra layer of assurance by setting clear expectations for uptime, response times, and issue resolution. Together, technical support and SLAs reduce operational risk, ensure a consistent customer experience, and provide confidence that integrated QR and Digital Link systems will remain dependable over time.

Partner benefits with Trueqrcode

For partners, QR code solutions create clear business advantages. They enable a new recurring revenue stream through landing pages that you create, such as for subscriptions, usage-based pricing, or value-added digital services, rather than one-time transactions. At the same time, there is no operational overhead, since the underlying QR code technology is hosted by Trueqrcode. This allows partners to offer a high-value digital solution to their customers without needing to maintain the infrastructure themselves, other than content updates, enabling companies full freedom and control of their codes and content with no tech hindrances.

How to Create a GS1 Digital Link for Electronics & Consumer Goods

Discover how simple it is to implement a barcode QR code with a GS1 Digital Link into your packaging:

Step 1: Go to Trueqrcode’s QR code generator and choose the barcode QR code generator option, which is GS1 compliant. 

Step 2: Add your GTIN for a single code or choose the bulk creation option. If you are going for bulk codes, Trueqrcode will provide the .csv sample for you to download and fill in. Then you will edit and upload your new .csv. For a single code, no .csv is necessary. 

Step 3: Add your header, links, and socials for increased customer engagement.

Step 4: Customize your QR code design with branded, contrasted colors and upload a QR code logo in the center for brand recognition and awareness.

Step 5: Use your downloaded QR code in your packaging design. Always do test scans with multiple devices before and after printing a test code on packaging, (please print on one test package before printing thousands), to make sure it has the correct information, links, and that the packaging has not obstructed the code by size, curves, shine, and other issues that are easy to avoid, but may come up. Information can always be changed on the backend since it’s a dynamic QR code but it’s better to get it right the first time, as your audience will see any errors once it’s distributed. 

Step 6: QR code tracking can be done in your analytics dashboard. It will tell you the number of scans, cities, times, and on what devices the codes were scanned. Depending on your goals, these analytics can help you in the long and short term.

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Best Practices of Using a GS1 Digital Link for Electronics & Consumer Goods

Get ahead of Sunrise 2027

This industry-led trend by GS1, a non-profit organization that has maintained standards for barcodes and GTINs across the world, has designated “Sunrise 2027” as the next step regarding product identification. Right now, we’re seeing traditional barcodes side by side with QR codes on packaging. But this becomes confusing and unsightly. Transitioning your product packaging now will propel you into the future of smart packaging, gaining a competitive edge in your industry, while adhering to regulations.

Add links to landing pages with virtual reality experiences

Create interesting landing pages and allow your customers to view 3D versions of your products. They can visualize product features and even try interactive functions before purchasing, where possible.

Promote brand consistency across packaging materials

Customize memorable QR codes with exciting CTAs that make the end user compelled to scan! This fosters customer loyalty when they know what to expect and promotes brand recognition and awareness when they see branded QR codes with your logo on every package.

Edit content on the backend without reprinting QR codes

Update firmware guides, troubleshooting tips, warranty information, holiday promotions, added tutorials, and anything else! Dynamic vs. static QR codes are better for brands because static codes cannot be changed. Dynamic codes enable you to keep content fresh and updated, making it a desirable returning point for customers.

Increase marketing engagement with social media channels and promotions

Connect QR codes to product launches, social media channels, giveaways and promotions, customer support communities, and more. QR code marketing has proven effective time and again for driving increased engagement for its convenience and diversibility. Just make sure that your CTA informs people that, over time, there will be more content and promos. The anticipation of more to come will keep people interested, or at least following socials to keep them coming back for more.

Tips for Adding a GS1 Digital Link to Electronics & Consumer Goods

Keep product data off the QR code and store it in a PIM/MDM or GS1 resolver

When the QR code scans the GTIN, your server looks up that GTIN in your PIM/MDM, and this returns full product data like language-specific information, images, promotions, certificates, recall alerts, etc. Don’t embed all of that directly into the QR code; keep it clean and allow more space for other important information. 

Add things directly to the code that include a human-readable interpretation (HRI), such as:

GTIN: 09506000123452

Batch: ABC456

Use Before: 2028-06-30

A QR code with a GS1 Digital Link for electronics and consumer goods needs to be convenient to scan

QR codes work if the size of the code is at least 10 mm × 10 mm (0.4” × 0.4”) for good scanners and at least 13–15 mm preferred for consumer mobile phones. 

Keep a ≥ 6–8 mm quiet zone (white area) around the QR code.

Don’t print QR codes on seams, folds, and curves of packaging materials.

Use contrasted colors that you can incorporate into your branded colors, or the code won’t scan with neutrals or similar hues. 

Test scan on one package before printing on every package.

Use batch QR code generation if serialization is important for that product

For high-end electronics or luxury goods, using a serial number for an item-level QR code is the best way to prevent theft or counterfeiting, and it also ensures easier warranty registration. You can also record returns, exchanges, or work repair flows in a URL embedded in the code.

Prove compliance and regulatory information

The GS1 Digital Link can direct to energy labels, sustainability certifications, safety precautions, and certifications, and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) information, a European framework about how to discard electronics. This ensures that regional regulatory demands are met and that conscious consumers are informed about disposal processes and sustainable usage.


QR code technology is now the most effective way to transition into Sunrise 2027, from the supply chain and regulators to the end user. Become a Certified Packaging Partner to ensure your QR codes for GS1 Digital Links for electronics and consumer goods are created to scale for future readiness. 

FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

A GS1 Digital Link is a standard that encodes existing GS1 identifiers (like the GTIN) into a web-addressable URL (a URI), which can then be embedded in a 2D barcode (e.g., a QR Code) or other carriers. It can give information about the entire product lifecycle.

It will enable the 1D and 2D barcode to become one smart barcode. Right now, QR codes and conventional barcodes are coupled on packaging. The GS1 Digital Link enables brands to combine the information in a 2D code like a QR code.

A GS1 Digital Link uses a GTIN and points to different content for different audiences when set up with a resolver, supporting multiple uses for supply chain managers, regulators, and end consumers.

Absolutely! And depending on the device, the resolver will redirect the scanner to the appropriate information for that audience.

Any information you want, and the most useful information for the electronics and consumer goods industries would be product manuals and setup guides, warranty registration and support, sustainability and recycling information, compliance and safety documentation, QR code marketing content, and promotions.

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