Scanner Set Up and Use

If you follow all the steps below and still have issues where your scanner scans an item but nothing happens then please click here.

Why do I need a scanner?

If you have retail items in your store you would need a scanner in order to scan the barcodes on each of those items, however, even if you don't have any such products you may still need a scanner.

A scanner is also used to scan Nōwn Gift Cards and the QR code of the mobile app. Scanning the QR code of the app allows customers to both pay with their phone and also collect loyalty points for each transaction. 

If you have a Star Micronics MC-Print 3 please follow the steps below:

Remove the back panel of the printer and plug the scanner directly into the USB ports at the back of the printer.

If you have an MPOP please follow the steps below:

Ensure that the scanner is plugged in via USB to the underside of the MPOP.

If you have a bluetooth or ethernet printer that is (NOT a Star Micronics MC-Print 3) please follow the steps below:

You will need the Apple dongle, which can be found  here (for standard iPad charging ports) or here (for iPads with USB-C ports). For best results we highly recommend that you use an official Apple dongle. Please make sure your charger is also connected when you plug in the scanner, otherwise it won’t work. Be sure to scan the activation code below after it’s plugged in in order to configure the device (note this is only for the Zebra Symbol ds9208 scanner)

Note: you can only use the designated iPad adapters (pictured below), the cube adapters used for your phone don’t supply enough power for the scanner.

Activation Code and Carriage Return 

Please ensure you have read through your scanner's owner manual, there will usually be steps that are needed to be taken to setup and calibrate the device. If your device does not have a physical manual there is usually a QR code or website to link you to an online manual. 

As each scanner is different there is not a one size fits all solution which is why it is important to check with your devices specific manual. 

Carriage Return

Your scanner functionally works like a USB keyboard and depending on how it is set up the action taken after a successful scan can differ. We always want to make sure the scanner is using carriage return. Carriage return acts as if you're hitting the enter button on your keyboard after an item is scanned. There will be a step in your devices manual to enable or disable this function this is usually carried out by scanning a series of barcodes.