Universal Product Codes are an essential part of selling through many ecommerce channels. Here's the basics on what they are, how to get them, and how they're used.
In this article:
- What is a UPC?
- Do I need UPCs?
- Where do I get UPCs?
- How many UPCs do I need?
- I’ve bought a company prefix. How do I know what my UPCs are?
- What do I do with my UPCs once I have them?
- What is an EAN?
- What is a GTIN?
- What is a check digit?
What is a UPC?
A Universal Product Code (UPC) is a unique 12 digit number created by that identifies a product globally. These numbers are created by an organization called GS1. (GS1 US website)
Channels that require UPCs:
- Amazon Seller
- Amazon Vendor
- Walmart Seller
- Walmart Vendor
- Bed Bath Beyond Vendor
- Overstock VendorÂ
- Houzz Seller
- Houzz Vendor
Channels that do not require UPCs:
- Wayfair Vendor
- Perigold
- Any channel that has granted you an exemption
Do I need UPCs?
Not all channels require UPCs, but many do. Wayfair does not require UPCs, but Overstock, Amazon, Walmart, and other channels do.
Where do I get UPCs?
First, you’ll need to create an account with GS1. Start here, and select your country to continue.
Once you’ve created an account, you can purchase a company prefix through GS1’s website. This allows you to generate your UPCs.
How many UPCs do I need?
You need one UPC for every product or combination of products you intend to sell.
If you have a sofa available in three colors, you will need a unique UPC for each color. If you want to sell one of those sofas packaged together with an ottoman, you will need a UPC for the sofa+ottoman set.
You do not need UPCs for components that aren’t sold on their own.
Once you know how many products you need UPCs for, refer to the GS1 website for current pricing. For pricing in the USA, click here.
I’ve bought a company prefix. How do I know what my UPCs are?
GS1 doesn’t provide access to a list of your UPCs, but you can create a list by following these simple steps.
UPCs follow the same formula every time:
[Company Prefix, between 5 and 9 digits long] [unique product number] [Calculated “check digit”]
e.g. 123456000011
If you purchased 1000 UPCs, then your company prefix will be 8 digits long, e.g. 12345678. Your UPCs will start with 12345678000#, 12345678001#, 12345678002#, and continue up to 12345678999#.
The last digit, or check digit, is calculated by formula. There are online resources to generate the check digits, as well as a complete list of available UPCs.
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đź’ˇ Try this tool from Morovia.com. In the top box, enter your company prefix, followed by enough ?
characters to make 11 total characters (e.g. 123456?????
or 12345678???
). The results will provide you a full list of 12-digit UPCs with completed check digits.
Please note: this is an external resource, and not verified by CommerceBear.
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What do I do with my UPCs once I have them?
However you keep track of product data internally, add your UPCs to your products just as you would a SKU. CommerceBear’s data request forms will request UPCs for every sellable product.
Once you have assigned a UPC to a product, you cannot use that UPC for any other products, or change the number. (There are exceptions to this rule, contact us to learn more.) The same UPCs are associated with your products no matter what channel they are sold on.
What is an EAN?
EAN stands for European Article Number. This is a 13-digit number used outside of the United States and Canada in place of a UPC.
You can convert your UPCs to EANs by adding a 0
to the beginning of your UPCs.
What is a GTIN?
GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number. UPCs and EANs are both types of GTIN, and these acronyms are often used interchangeably.
What is a check digit?
A "check digit" is the final number of every UPC. It's calculated with a formula based on the 11 preceding digits. See above for a breakdown of what each part of a UPC means.
This tool from Morovia.com can generate check digits for you. In the top box, enter your company prefix, followed by enough ?
characters to make 11 total characters (e.g. 123456?????
or 12345678???
). The results will provide you a full list of 12-digit UPCs with completed check digits.
Please note: this is an external resource, and not verified by CommerceBear.
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