Barcodes allow companies to distribute and sell their products in a variety of Point of Sale scenarios. Before you can start selling your products off and online, you must acquire a barcode for each unique product that you plan on selling. At Bar Code Tag, it’s our goal to assist our customers in securing high quality bar codes for the lowest prices. If you already know what you need you can purchase barcodes here.
A UPC, which stands for Universal Product Code, is a 12-digit bar code used primarily in Canada and the United States. Retailers add UPCs to each item they sell in order to track their product inventory.
EAN originally stood for "European Article Number," but has since been changed to "International Article Number." The term refers to the bar code used by retailers outside of North America.
Global Trade Item Numbers, also known as UPC/EAN numbers are used by companies to uniquely identify all of their trade items. Trade items include any product that is priced, ordered or invoiced by a company.
One of the most important moves a new company can make is to secure UPC code numbers for their products. UPC numbers allow companies to distribute and sell their products in a variety of Point of Sale scenarios, which is why they are a necessary component in any sales strategy.
At Barcodetag, it’s our goal to assist our customers in securing high quality bar codes for the lowest prices, taking the guesswork out of the UPC code number process- satisfaction guaranteed.
Being informed is the best way to ensure that your company purchases exactly the type of product UPC codes that you need, so that your products can be easily purchased by consumers. Let’s begin by taking a look at some of the most basic questions about UPC symbols:
Although there are several different types of bar codes, the UPC symbol appears on nearly every retail product in the United States, making it the most versatile and recognizable type of product code in this part of the world. It consists of a bar code with a GTIN-12 number beneath.
The bar code, or UPC symbol is the series of black vertical lines seen on any Point of Sale product. This symbol is unique to each product and represents the twelve numbers that identify an individual product for sale. The bar code is the part of the UPC code that is scanned at the Point of Sale.
GTIN stands for Global Trade Identification Number, the coding structure that identifies a product. The GTIN-12 of a product is the unique 12 digit code shown beneath the bar code.
Each individual product that you are planning on selling will need its own unique UPC Code. Though the Company Prefix assigned by the GS1 will remain the same, you will need to assign each product a unique Product Number and Check Digit.
UPC’s are the most commonly used bar codes in the United States. EAN’s (European Article Number) are used internationally. Nowadays, most places will accept both product UPC codes and EAN codes, although if you are planning on selling your products outside of the United States, an EAN code might be best for you. EAN format bar codes contain 13 digits, leading with a “0” in front of the standard GTIN-12 digit UPC code. Both bar codes, however, are identical.
Due to the stringent standards of the GS1, individual companies cannot create their own UPC codes. In order to have a barcode that will scan at a Point of Sale, you must have a Company Prefix number assigned to you by GS1. For companies wondering how to create UPC codes- the answer is that you cannot do so on your own.
All retail UPC codes must originate from GS1, and you may choose to purchase your UPC code numbers directly from them. However, GS1 requires that you purchase a minimum of 100 UPC symbols, at a minimum cost of $750. This does not include the annual renewal fee for your UPC symbol, which typically begins at $150!
we purchase our UPC numbers in bulk so that our customers don’t have to. Purchase as many or as few UPC numbers as you need! Additionally, since we joined GS1 in 1994, several years before they began charging renewal fees, our customers are not responsible for any additional fees once they have purchased their UPC symbols from us.
EAN stands for European Article Number (AKA: GTIN-13 / EAN-13) and is the type of bar code that is used internationally to identify unique products at the point of sale. Similar to a UPC, EAN’s are a series of numbers set against a bar line graphic; in fact, the two types of bar codes are almost identical. But not quite.
Choosing the right bar code purchase for your products can be confusing, with so much information to wade through and so many acronyms to learn: EAN, UPC, GTIN… HELP! Barcodetag has been committed to assisting our customers in securing the right bar codes, at the best prices. If you’re wondering whether you need to buy EAN bar codes or purchase UPC codes, we can help. Take a look through our list of the top 5 things you need to know about EAN codes.
When UPC codes were first introduced in the early 1970’s, they were only intended for use within North America. But as producers overseas began multiplying, a new format was necessary to facilitate sales in Europe. In 2005, a global initiative began, allowing North American retailers to scan both UPC and EAN codes. Because of this, nearly all North American retailers now accept EAN codes. This is why the EAN Code is now formally called the “International Article Number”.
Unlike UPC codes, which have 12 digits, EAN codes have 13 digits. The first 3 digits are the “Country Code” aka: GS1 Prefix, and indicate the GS1 Member Organization where the manufacturer registered the bar codes. This is somewhat related to the region in which the manufacturer operates. The digits after the “country code” prefix are the unique number that is issued to each company.The EAN code closes with the last digit, the Check Digit, which is used to ensure that a bar code has been correctly scanned.
One of the best ways to determine whether you need to use EAN codes or UPC codes is to ask your intended retailers which formats they accept. This way, you’ll be certain that the bar code purchase you make is the right one for your sales strategy.
Are you selling online? You may not need to include the EAN code on your label if you are shipping directly to the end user. Amazon and eBay simply require you to include the EAN code in the product details when listing. Since it is not being physically “scanned” at a traditional “Brick & Mortar” store, it will not need to be on the actual product when delivered. If you are choosing to sell at a traditional retailer, you’ll need to make sure your labels clearly showcase your barcode.
You may need to buy EAN codes, but you don’t need to blow your budget. At Barcodetag, we purchase barcodes in bulk and pass on the savings to our customers. No renewal fees, no minimum order numbers… Just the bar codes you need, at incredible prices.
If you need further clarification on the right bar code purchase for you, reach out to us today! Our friendly customer service team(team? more like a single tour’de force!) will be happy to help guide you as you buy EAN codes for your products.
In order to sell your products in stores, you’ll likely need to purchase bar code numbers that uniquely identify each individual product. This allows your products to be scanned at the point of sale by your customers and for the store to keep track of your inventory levels. As new types of products come to market, new standards and methods are developed to ensure that unique number combinations and formats are continuously organized or created. Hence why there are so many different types of product identifiers available for use in commerce today.
The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the family of data structures (bar code formats) that are most commonly used internationally. If you’re in the market to buy bar codes for your items, you’ll likely want to purchase a type of GTIN number. First, let’s learn a little bit more about the GTIN family of product identifiers.
GTIN is an umbrella term, this family of codes includes: GTIN-12 (UPC), GTIN-13 (EAN-13), GTIN-14 (EAN/UCC-128 or ITF-14), and GTIN-8 (EAN-8). The original form of bar code was the UPC (Universal Product Code). Because the UPC system was only intended for use in North America, the EAN (European Article Number) was developed to allow overseas retailers to sell their products. Today, most retailers accept both identifiers.
Since GTIN numbers have 14 digits, in many cases pre-existing shorter codes (such as the UPC and EAN), are “padded” by adding zeros to the left side of the bar code, amounting to a total of 14 digits. For most retail applications you shouldn’t have to add these extra leading zeros.
Are you looking to purchase bar codes or license them? All bar code numbers (GTIN’s) originate from GS1, formerly known as the UCC. Although since 2002 GS1 does not sell GTIN’s outright any longer, they license them directly to consumers. Note that they only license bar codes in bulk. This means that if you have a single product and get your bar codes from GS1, you will need to license a minimum of 10 bar codes, at a minimum cost of $250. From there, you will need to pay a yearly renewal fee of at least $50 or forfeit your right to use the code.
Selling your products online is one of the best ways to reach your customers and increase sales. Amazon.com makes this process easy by exposing your products to its extensive and loyal customer base- an estimated 85 million monthly unique visitors! Selling on Amazon instantly connects you with customers who may not have found your company otherwise, but discover your products while searching for similar merchandise. It’s not difficult to see why so many new companies begin their sales on Amazon.
If you are planning to sell your products on Amazon, you will likely need to purchase bar codes for each product. Let’s take a look at the process for purchasing UPC codes for Amazon:
In 2008, the company changed their regulations to require UPC, EAN, or ISBN bar codes for Amazon. They did this because scannable bar codes reduce shipping time and make it easier to ensure that the correct package is shipped to the correct customer. Today, almost all items sold on Amazon must have an EAN, UPC or ISBN product identifier.
Yes. For all your individual “private label” products, you will need a unique bar code number. If you are reselling a product that is already listed on Amazon, you will not need to enter a UPC or EAN code. If the product isn’t already listed on Amazon, and you did not manufacture it, you will need to supply the UPC or EAN already assigned to the product from the original manufacturer.
How do I sell my product on Amazon?This is a three step process. In step one, you’ll need to set up a seller account. For step two, you’ll need to upload your inventory. Finally, in step three, you will need to label your products. For more information on each of these steps, take a look at our description here.
Yes. Amazon has very strict rules concerning UPC and EAN labels. It’s best to acquaint yourself with these rules first, before purchasing your bar codes for Amazon.
Bar Code Tag has been supplying high quality bar codes at the lowest prices available. There’s no need to make a minimum purchase or bulk order- buy as many or as few bar codes as you need. There are no renewal fees- simply pay once for your bar codes and use them on your items for life.
