Late barcode duplication advice from Ovato

Ovato sent this advice to newsagents today at 2pm, not to the software companies that are on the front line for handling such matters. Ugh!

Please be advised that Mr Wisdom Sudoku #128, on sale today 21^st January, was incorrectly printed with the same barcode (931339800258901) as Better Homes & Gardens Sudoku #9 which went on sale 28^th December.=

Could you please ensure you maintain both titles on sale for their respective on sale periods and process returns against the correct title code when each title recalls.

Note that this may require you to review any returns processed by your POS system, should you use a POS system to process your returns.

For agents on NPR (No Physical Returns), we will exclude these titles from your NPR calculation due to the errors that may occur in scan sales.

Mr Wisdoms Sudoku
Title code: 20638
Issue code: 1280
On sale: 21/01/21
Recall date 18/03/21
RRP $4.99

Better Homes & Gardens Sudoku
Title code: 17428
Issue code: 90
On sale: 28/12/20
Recall date: 18/02/21
RRP $4.99

Please accept our apologies for the inconveniences this may cause.

Thanks for your support.

What should Ovato have done?

1. Picked this up earlier.
2. Advised the software companies first, to leverage their own comms channels with newsagents.

In their note they say should you use a POS system. They know exactly who uses a system. Seriously!