How to use barcode scan result string?

Question

I use ZXing to scan a regular barcode (not QR code) and I get a scanresult string, or to be more precise a number.

When I scan QR codes, it's easy to use the result because it always contains a URL to the Android Market. But how to use the number from a regular barcode? Which "search engine" to use to get the right product?

PS. quering this result number via google.com or Google Shopping returned no product at all

Answer 1

If it's an ordinary 1D barcode, it might turn up in the UPC database. Other than that, there's not a strictly universal barcode database. Amazon's ecommerce API might help (it supports UPC lookup, but I don't know if it supports non-current products), and if you're in the UK then Tesco's has one as well that's worth a look.

Answer 2

I've never used ZXing, but I see that it supports many barcode types. The type of the barcode will determine where you can look for it (i.e. it depends what you mean by a 'regular' barcode). If it's a UPC barcode, you can use something like this site.