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Information about Barcodes for CDs and DVDs

This article is provided by CDDVD Now! and Indie Artists Alliance.

Why do I need a barcode?
If you are going to sell your CD in stores, through CD Baby, want it to look "Retail Ready" or want it tracked by Nielsen SoundScan, you need a barcode. If you are sending out promo CDs or are just selling your CD at shows, you don't really need one.

What is a barcode?
According to Wikipedia (Open Source Encyclopedia - used by permission) the definition of a barcode is:
a machine-readable (uses dark ink on white substrate to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1's and 0's) representation of information in a visual format on a surface. Originally barcodes stored data in the widths and spacings of printed parallel lines, but today they also come in patterns of dots, concentric circles, and hidden within images. Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers or scanned from an image by special software. Barcodes are widely used to implement Auto ID Data Capture (AIDC) systems that improve the speed and accuracy of computer data entry. http://www.wikipedia.com

Where can I get one?
GS1 (formerly The Uniform Code Council) dispenses all UPC bar codes.
http://www.gs1.org/

Indie Artists Alliance: http://www.indieartistsalliance.com/barcode/barcode.htm

CDDVD Now (when you produce your CD) http://www.cddvdnow.com How much do they cost?
If you subscribe directly to the GS1, the base cost is $750.00 plus a yearly renewal fee.

If you register with Indie Artists Alliance, you can register your project for $9.95 and receive your UPC barcode via e-mail (www.indieartistsalliance.com)

If you have CDDVD Now produce your CD/DVD, they provide a barcode for free.

What is Soundscan?
http://www.nielsenrei.com/

Nielsen SoundScan is an information system that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada. Sales data from point-of-sale cash registers is collected weekly from over 14,000 retail, mass merchant and non-traditional (on-line stores, venues, etc.) outlets. Weekly data is compiled and made available every Wednesday. Nielsen SoundScan is the sales source for the Billboard music charts.

SoundScan is only able to track those CDs that have a UPC bar code.

Because of CDDVD Now's affiliation with Independent Artists Alliance, CDDVD Now's customers get a free UPC code when they produce their CD with us. This is potentially a savings of $750.00.

Registering your CD
Once you get your barcode from CDDVD Now/Indie Artists Alliance or directly from GS1(formerly the Uniform Code Council), you will need to register your product SoundScan. Download and fill out the SoundScan Title Addition Sheet:
Download U.S. Word version
Download U.S. pdf version
Download Canada Word version
Download Canada pdf version

The Title Addition Sheet can be submitted to the Soundscan Database Department by email at dbase@soundscan.com Once a title is submitted to SoundScan, it can take up to 10-15 business days for it to be entered into the system. Once entered, the title has the ability to be tracked by SoundScan. Note: In order to find out if a title is already registered with SoundScan, you may contact Client Services by email at clientservices@soundscan.com (If emailed please include the full UPC code), or call us at (914) 684-5525.For further questions visit the SounScan website at http://www.soundscan.com

What is BDS?
http://www.nielsenrei.com/
Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems is the world's leading provider of airplay tracking for the entertainment industry. Employing a patented digital pattern recognition technology, Nielsen BDS captures in excess of 100 million song detections annually on more than 1,600 radio stations, satellite radio and cable music channels in over 140 markets in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and 30 Canadian markets.
Radio formats monitored include Adult Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Album Rock, Classic Rock, Contemporary Christian, Country, Modern Rock, Oldies, R&B (including Rap and Hip Hop), Spanish (including Latin Contemporary, Regional Mexican and Tropical Salsa), and Top 40. Additionally, Nielsen BDS monitors 12 U.S. Music Video Channels and 9 Canadian Video Channels. Executives from all facets of record companies, radio stations, publishing firms, performance rights organizations, music retailers, independent promoters, film and TV, and artist management are among those who query more than 10,000 reports daily from Nielsen BDS products - ENcore, BDSRadio.com, BDSexpress.com and BDS RealTime. Nielsen BDS information is utilized exclusively by Billboard, R&R (Radio & Records) and the Canadian Music Network in determining their radio airplay music charts. Nielsen BDS announces Virtual Encode! Now you can submit your CD's and MP3's, free of charge, electronically through our secure Virtual Encode website. To submit your music via Virtual Encode:

Send an email with "Virtual Encode" as the subject to our Client Services Department at clientservices@bdsonline.com for a username and password. When submitting your request, PLEASE include the following information in the body of your email: Your Full Name
Company or Label Name
Contact Number
Primary Email Address
Any Additional Contact Information

You will receive login information and instructions for the Virtual Encode website, via e-mail..

To submit your music by mail
visit http://www.bdsonline.com/submit.html

VideoScan
VideoScan and ACNielsen (a partnership since January 2000, and sister companies under the VNU banner since 2001) seamlessly integrate point-of-sale (POS) data collected by both companies to provide a comprehensive view of the VHS and DVD sell-through business. VideoScan, a leader in video market research since 1993, manages the business on behalf of the partnership. With its strong history and relationships with studios and electronic/specialty retailers, VideoScan provides industry-wide expertise and perspective. ACNielsen, the leader in data services to the consumer packaged goods industry, brings its powerful analytic capabilities and broad coverage of the discount mass, grocery and drug retailers to the partnership. Together, VideoScan and ACNielsen are the acknowledged leader in consumer research for the VHS and DVD sell-through industry. The partnership between VideoScan and ACNielsen is known as Nielsen VideoScan. Sell-through POS (consumer purchase) sales data are collected weekly from traditional channels of video distribution including mass merchants, audio/video and video specialty retailers, electronics outlets, grocery stores, drug stores, and some Internet sites. Nielsen VideoScan maintains this weekly POS data in one of the largest databases of VHS and DVD products in the country. Data is collected on more than 40,000 VHS items and 12,000 DVD items. Virtually every UPC code in sell-through release since 1993 can be found in our extensive database. Complete sales data in all retail channels are available as far back as January 1999 (however Wal*Mart data is included only through 7/28/01). Prior to January 1999, limited information is available in most channels going back to 1993. Nielsen VideoScan's VHS and DVD sell-through data are made available through the Nielsen VideoScan web site and the ACNielsen NITRO data delivery system. Some of the types of reports we have available: Title Reports with sales for each title categorized nationally, regionally (by DMA) and by retail channel.

Sales History Reports providing week-by-week title sales since 1999 or release date (if later).

Summary Reports providing industry overviews comparing sales from previous years as well as weekly comparisons to the prior year.

Market Share Reports giving annual and weekly market shares by distributor/label.
Top 100 Charts for numerous categories rank the top titles by unit sales. Charts are available for the current week's sales or for cumulative year-to-date sales. Prior year-end charts are also available. Chart categories include distributors and selected genres.

While most of their clients choose annual subscriptions, they also work with customers on a project-by-project basis. They can handle everything from sophisticated marketing and sales research and planning to simple one title sales ad-hoc requests. Nielsen VideoScan's VHS and DVD sales charts are currently published in Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Video Store Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and others.
For more information contact: http://www.videoscan.com/contact.html

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