Frequently Asked Questions

ZhiShuYun is a one-product-one-code digital trust infrastructure that helps enterprises assign a unique digital identity (anti-counterfeit/traceability code) to every product, enabling anti-counterfeit verification, full-chain traceability, anti-diversion management, scan marketing, and data insights. The core problems it solves: rampant counterfeits damaging brands, channel diversion disrupting pricing, consumer disconnect preventing repeat purchases, and growing regulatory compliance pressure. Currently serving 10,000+ users, with over 10 billion anti-counterfeit codes generated and 10M+ daily scan queries.

Yes, the Basic plan is permanently free with no trial period or forced upgrade. Basic includes: anti-counterfeit code generation & query, basic product traceability, data statistics & reports, up to 10 products, unlimited data retention, and online help docs. Limitations are primarily 10 products and no sub-accounts. For the vast majority of startups and small businesses, the Basic plan is fully adequate. When your business grows and needs more products, anti-diversion management, or multiple sub-accounts, you can upgrade to Standard (¥99/mo) or Enterprise (¥299/mo) anytime.

Full support for mainstream code formats: QR Code (Model 2, up to Version 40, 7,089 numeric characters), DataMatrix (ECC 200, ideal for small packaging and medical devices), PDF417 (high-capacity stacked barcode), GS1 DataBar, 1D barcodes (Code128/Code39/EAN-13 etc.). Also supports RFID/NFC chip tags. All formats support the GS1 Digital Link standard, meeting GM2D global QR code migration compliance requirements.

Absolutely — this is the core design philosophy of triple-code integration. The same QR code serves as an anti-counterfeit code (consumers scan to verify authenticity), a traceability code (scan to view full-chain product info from raw materials to retail), and a marketing code (scan to claim red packets/points/coupons). A single consumer scan delivers verification results + traceability info + brand engagement — a seamless experience. This approach has significant advantages over using separate codes in both consumer experience and cost.

We use a Snowflake Variant to generate 64-bit globally unique IDs — 1 reserved bit + 41-bit millisecond timestamp + 5-bit datacenter ID + 5-bit worker ID + 12-bit sequence number. Each worker can generate 4,096 unique IDs per millisecond. A UNIQUE KEY constraint in the database layer provides a safety net. The application layer uses pre-allocated range locking to reduce contention. With this triple-safeguard mechanism, the probability of duplicate codes at the 10-billion scale approaches zero.

P50 response time under 50ms, P99 under 100ms. Technical guarantees: multi-level caching (browser Caffeine local cache → Redis distributed cache → database), Bloom filter intercepting 90%+ of invalid queries, covering index optimization for database queries. Response speed significantly impacts scan rate — every 100ms of additional latency increases consumer scan abandonment probability by approximately 7%.

Code volume uses cumulative tiered pricing: welcome gift of 10,000 free codes, 0–50K codes at ¥0.020/code, 50K–200K codes at ¥0.015/code (25% off), 200K–1M codes at ¥0.012/code (40% off), 1M+ codes at ¥0.008/code (60% off). Codes never expire. When used up, simply purchase at your current tier price. Higher cumulative volume = lower unit price — this is our loyalty reward for long-term customers.

Basic plan includes 10,000 free codes on signup. Once used up, you need to purchase code packages at the tiered pricing above. The platform features in Basic remain permanently free — you only pay for the code volume you actually use. This model ensures you pay for actual usage rather than platform features.

Standard (¥99/mo) is best for growing brands: includes all Basic features + anti-diversion management + dealer channel management + 7×12 support + 2 sub-accounts + 1 Mini Program license. Enterprise (¥299/mo) is for scaling enterprises: includes all Standard features + real-time data dashboard + 5 sub-accounts + API access (unlimited calls) + 7×24 support + 3 Mini Program licenses. Recommendation: if anti-diversion is your core need, choose Standard. If you need API integration and data dashboards, choose Enterprise.

Beyond platform fees (Basic free, Standard ¥99/mo, Enterprise ¥299/mo) and code volume costs, there are operational costs: label printing (~¥0.01–0.05 each for pre-printed labels), production line coding equipment (one-time ¥80K–300K if online coding is needed, not required). These costs exist with any traceability solution regardless of platform. SMBs can use pre-printed labels to skip production line modifications and start with zero equipment investment.

Yes, you can downgrade. From Enterprise to Standard or Basic, from Standard to Basic. Historical data remains viewable after downgrade. Advanced features (anti-diversion, API, dashboard) will be disabled. Already-generated codes and consumer verification are unaffected — once a code is generated and bound to product info, consumer scan verification works normally regardless of your current plan.

Defense-in-depth data security: Transport layer — full-site HTTPS TLS 1.3 with certificate pinning. Storage layer — AES-256 database encryption, sensitive field masking. Access control — RBAC multi-level permissions, two-factor authentication. Tenant isolation — independent schema isolation (not shared tables), ensuring physical data isolation between tenants. Network security — WAF + anti-DDoS scrubbing + IP allow/deny lists. Audit — full operation logging, tracing every data access. Certified for China MLPS Level 3.

Traceability data is retained indefinitely, and can be stored permanently per your compliance needs. Data ownership belongs entirely to the enterprise — ZhiShuYun is a data processor, not a data owner. You can export all your data at any time (Excel/CSV/JSON). Data export is available on all plans including free Basic — no data lock-in, ever.

Consumer scan data collection follows the principles of minimal necessity and informed consent: scan pages clearly disclose data collection purpose and scope, require active opt-in consent (not pre-checked), and provide convenient data access and deletion portals. Data is stored on servers within China. Enterprises can configure data retention periods (e.g., consumer scan records retained for 90 days only), and the system purges them automatically on expiry. DPIA templates are available to assist with compliance documentation.

The system uses multi-active architecture for high availability: Application layer — multi-node load balancing + auto-scaling, failed nodes auto-removed. Data layer — MySQL master-slave hot standby + auto-failover (switch <30s). Cache layer — Redis Sentinel cluster auto-failover. Infrastructure — cross-AZ deployment. System SLA is 99.9% (annual downtime under 8.76 hours). Even in extreme scenarios, the core scan query path has multi-level degradation — fallback to database when Redis is unavailable, fallback to pre-cached static verification page when database is unavailable.

ZhiShuYun blockchain notarization is based on Hyperledger Fabric enterprise consortium blockchain (not public chain), storing SHA-256 hashes and transaction timestamps of critical traceability data on-chain. Per Supreme People's Court regulations on Internet Court case adjudication and Online Litigation Rules, blockchain-stored data can be recognized as electronic evidence after technical verification. Our blockchain module supports one-click generation of court-admissible electronic evidence reports, including on-chain data, hash comparison results, and timestamp certification.

Using pre-printed labels, you can be live the same day: register (3 min) → create product (2 min) → generate & export QR codes (5 min) → print codes on labels → apply labels to products → consumers scan to verify. With existing blank labels and printing equipment, the entire process takes under 1 hour. Production line coding retrofit (adding inline inkjet/laser equipment) takes 1–2 weeks. Full product coverage is recommended within 2–4 weeks using a phased approach.

ZhiShuYun provides 200+ RESTful API endpoints covering all business scenarios: code generation, query, data export, anti-diversion, marketing, and more. Multi-language SDKs available (Java, Python, Node.js). Pre-built data mapping templates for major ERP (SAP, Yonyou, Kingdee, Inspur) and WMS systems significantly reduce integration effort. Webhook push support — real-time push of scan events, diversion alerts, and other key data to your existing systems. API access is unlimited (Enterprise plan), with HMAC signature security authentication.

Retrofit complexity depends on current line status and scope. Typical retrofit (adding UV inkjet printer + industrial camera + industrial PC): hardware installation & wiring 2–3 days (can be pre-done without downtime), software-hardware integration & trial 1–2 days (requires line downtime). Total downtime typically 2–3 days, usually scheduled on weekends or off-season. For companies not wanting to modify lines, pre-printed labels mean zero downtime and zero equipment investment. An engineer performs an on-site survey before retrofit and provides a detailed plan with downtime estimates.

Group multi-org structure is supported. Enterprise plan allows creating multiple sub-organizations (each subsidiary as an independent org unit), with data isolation between orgs (independent schemas), while group admins have cross-org consolidated view permissions. Each sub-org can independently manage its own products, code volume, and dealers, sharing the parent account's billing plan and code pool. This architecture balances data isolation with centralized group management needs.

ZhiShuYun provides one-stop label printing services covering all materials: coated paper, PET, VOID/tamper-evident, pearlescent film, etc. Full process from design → printing → coding → QA → delivery. Label-as-a-Service (LaaS): labels arrive pre-printed with anti-counterfeit codes, ready to apply. Free sampling for customers with annual volume over 50K labels, nationwide 48-hour delivery.

Yes, and this is recommended. When consumers scan, the first screen shows the authenticity verification result (via anti-counterfeit verification API). While the product is confirmed genuine, the lower portion of the page displays brand marketing content — red packet entry, points reward, membership registration prompt, etc. Verification builds trust, marketing provides value — the combination significantly outperforms either alone in both consumer experience and conversion. Data shows scan marketing with verification has 2.8× higher conversion than pure marketing scans.

Brands pre-load their marketing budget in the ZhiShuYun dashboard (WeChat Pay/bank transfer supported). The system deducts from the pre-loaded balance in real-time as red packets are distributed. Brands can flexibly configure red packet amount range (e.g., ¥0.5–5 random), daily distribution cap, regional restrictions, and campaign validity period. Unspent balance is refundable anytime. All red packet distribution records are real-time queryable and exportable for financial reconciliation. The platform charges no channel fees — the amount consumers receive equals what the brand pays.

bC-linkage is a scan marketing model that simultaneously incentivizes retail stores (Business/b-end) and consumers (Consumer/C-end). Mechanism: when a consumer scans and claims a ¥5 red packet, the corresponding retail store/salesperson instantly receives a ¥2 rebate (amount configurable by brand). Stores see real-time referral scan data and accumulated rebates via WeCom/Mini Program, with rebates credited instantly. This turns retail staff from passive to proactive — they have a genuine incentive to recommend scanning. Scan recommendation rates can soar from 8% (traditional) to 72% with bC-linkage.

Industry benchmark data shows well-designed scan marketing achieves 3–5× the ROI of traditional channel advertising. Real example from a condiment brand: total red packet investment ¥300K (~600K scans, avg ¥0.5/scan), directly driving ¥1.8M+ in associated sales, acquiring 120K private domain users, with unlockable coupons driving 35% 3-day repurchase rate. Actual ROI far exceeds traditional e-commerce ads (e-commerce customer acquisition cost exceeds ¥200/person, while scan acquisition costs only ¥0.5/scan). Beyond direct sales uplift, the user data and private domain traffic gained are long-term compounding assets.

Multi-dimensional scan campaign restrictions are supported: Geo — province/city/district level (auto-determined by scan IP location). Time — campaign start/end dates, daily time windows. User — new users only/all users, daily participation cap per user. Product — specific SKUs/product lines. Code volume — total campaign budget cap/daily distribution cap. All restriction rules are configured flexibly in the dashboard and take effect instantly.

Key changes in the new regulation effective May 2026: GS1 Digital Link QR codes explicitly recognized as legal commodity barcode format, annual update of product coding data required, mandatory traceability data association reporting added, increased penalties (unauthorized barcode use fines raised from ¥30K to ¥200K). Direct impact: upgrade product barcodes from 1D to QR (or dual-code) by June 2027, establish barcode-traceability data linkage, ensure barcode data compliance and timely updates. We recommend enterprises initiate barcode compliance projects within 2026.

GS1 has set June 2027 as the final deadline for global retail POS systems to support QR code scanning. China's Article Numbering Center has announced synchronized adoption of this timeline. For China's 650K+ GS1 member enterprises, this means: products launched after June 2027 must use (or at minimum co-display) GS1 Digital Link QR codes, 1D barcodes may remain as compatible identifiers but not as the sole identifier. The preparation window is approximately 16 months, while the normal cycle for production line retrofit + packaging switch is 6–12 months. We strongly recommend initiating in H2 2026.

DPP is a mandatory EU digital product passport requirement — a market access condition for products entering the EU. The first mandatory category is batteries (February 2027), followed by textiles, electronics, toys, construction materials, etc. DPP requires products to carry a QR code/NFC tag that consumers can scan to access full lifecycle data from raw materials to recycling (including carbon footprint, material composition, repairability, etc.). Products not meeting DPP requirements cannot clear EU customs or be placed on the market. We recommend export-oriented enterprises initiate DPP compliance assessment and system development before end of 2026.

The ZhiShuYun system provides one-click audit report generation — select inspection scope and product batches, and the system auto-generates a standardized traceability data report compliant with regulatory requirements (including data integrity declaration and blockchain notarization records). Audit-mode temporary accounts are also supported — read-only access accounts for inspectors with scoped data and time-limited access. The system also records complete operation logs — any traceability data changes are auditable. Under normal circumstances, regulatory inspection data retrieval can be completed within minutes.