GTIN Numbers, UPCs, and Barcodes: Everything You Need to Know

In this guest article, the GS1 US team explains what you should know about GTIN numbers and barcodes. They also share the new Single GTIN feature that is designed for small businesses. Read on to learn what you need to know about GTIN and your Amazon products. eComEngine is proud to be a GS1 US Channel Partner and may receive commission payments for sales made through affiliate links on this page.

GS1 US is part of one of the largest identification and standards organizations in the world. Best known as the administrator of the UPC barcode, GS1 US maintains and advocates for the use of a host of other data standards that support the supply chain. 

As a global, neutral organization, GS1 US helps companies uniquely identify products, locations, and other assets and share information about them with trading partners and consumers in a consistent way. Additionally, the organization collaborates with a variety of industries to create best practices for developing efficient supply chains, effective business relationships, and providing consumers access to trustworthy information about the products they buy.

Let's discuss what you need to know about GTINs, UPCs, and barcodes. Then we'll explain how GTINs are used on Amazon.

What is a GTIN?

GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number. These numbers are encoded into a barcode to uniquely identify a product when it is listed online or read by a barcode scanner. eCommerce businesses benefit from identifying products with GTINs because they help products show up in more online search results and help build credibility, especially for small businesses.

GTINs help sellers prove that they are selling legitimate products. Retailers and marketplaces value authentic GTINs so much that they have started hiding product listings if they are not identified properly with them.

Many also specifically list GTINs in their seller guidelines as a requirement to ensure consistent product identity and inventory management. Properly constructed GTINs originate from GS1 US. There are two options for obtaining authentic GTINs:

1) For small businesses, the best option may be to license individual GS1 US GTINs for $30 each. This is a new offering launched in November 2020. It was developed in response to feedback from members who were looking for more flexible product identification options.

2) For businesses that plan to launch 10 or more products or product variations, another option is to license a GS1 Company Prefix, which allows brands to create authentic GTINs in bundles of 10, 100, and other bulk quantities. The prefix represents the first few numbers of the product GTIN and is what links a brand to a product. This ability to confirm authenticity is what makes it so valuable to retailers and marketplaces. Single GTINs also come with a certificate to similarly demonstrate ownership.

GS1 US has an estimator tool to help business owners determine which option is right for them - a single GS1 US GTIN or a GS1 Company Prefix - based on how many products they have, how many variations of the product there are, and how they anticipate their company will grow in the future.

Struggling to make sense of other Amazon terms and acronyms? eComEngine's detailed Amazon Seller Glossary can help.

What are the Benefits of Licensing a GS1 Company Prefix?

Licensing a GS1 Company Prefix helps sellers manage their growth and diversify their business in the long term. The prefix allows members to create additional identifiers often used in retail supply chain business processes, such as the Serialized Shipping Container Code or GS1-label to identify cartons exchanged between trading partners.

Also, the Company Prefix makes up the first few numbers of a product’s GTIN, which can help with inventory management and retailer relations. For example, if a brand were to grow its business to the point where they have hundreds of GTINs to manage, the prefix helps the brand owner classify inventory and manage where each GTIN is sold. This also helps companies manage mixed cases and coupons. Some healthcare companies need a prefix to meet various FDA regulations.

What are UPCs? How Do They Different from GTIN Numbers?

The UPC (universal product code) is the barcode symbol you frequently see on products that are scanned at a store checkout. It is a data carrier that is used by retail systems to capture the GTIN via a scan.

It is a common misconception that a UPC and GTIN are interchangeable and the same thing, especially among the online seller community. Some marketplace guidelines will refer to both UPCs and GTINs. However, the UPC is a barcode symbol with black lines and the GTIN is the identification number. A UPC barcode, together with a product’s GTIN, makes it easy for businesses to track a product. However, GTINs are increasingly used on their own in online product listings to help form a bridge between a product’s physical presence and its digital identity and to prove product authenticity.

For example, Amazon states in its seller guidelines that its product managers will check all GTINs provided to them against the GS1 database. Amazon sellers may be delisted if the numbers are found to be invalid. This includes both types of GTINs that Amazon accepts:

A GTIN-14, or a 14-digit GTIN, is used for outer cases such as multiple packs of the same product
A GTIN-12, a 12-digit GTIN, would be accepted in Amazon’s system as a UPC

A 13-digit GTIN signifies an EAN (European Article Number), which is a barcode symbol used predominantly in Europe.

What is the Single GS1 US GTIN and How is it Different from Licensing a GS1 Company Prefix?

GS1 US has recently expanded its product identification offering for small businesses by introducing a single GS1 US GTIN. This is designed for businesses that are launching a new product. The single GTIN, with a one-time cost of $30, is a way to uniquely identify products at a low price. It also makes preparing items for sale across the many retail and eCommerce channels more efficient.

Businesses can create a single GTIN, manage related product data, and share the information with trading partners using GS1 US Data Hub | Product. The GTIN will automatically be included in the GS1 Global Registry. This is a database that an ever-growing number of retailers and online marketplaces use to verify product identification and authenticity.

Since requirements can vary by retailer, small businesses should understand seller guidelines to know whether a single GTIN or a GS1 Company Prefix is needed to support electronic data exchange, shipping, and more.

How are GTINs Created?

GTIN numbers are created in two ways. For those who opt for a single GS1 US GTIN, the identification number is automatically generated. For those who license a GS1 Company Prefix, the GTIN is created from their prefix. In both cases, they receive a certificate to prove ownership.

Whether the seller has created GTINs using their GS1 Company Prefix or licensed single GS1 US GTINs, they have access to GS1 US Data Hub | Product, which is an online tool for GS1 US members to create and manage GTINs and barcodes. By also using a GS1 US Solution Partner, sellers can outsource barcode art and printing needs. These providers are trained by GS1 US on GS1 standards for barcodes.

What Would be an Alternate Product Identification Method?

There are third-party barcode companies that sell barcodes and their encoded identification numbers. Retailers ask these companies to supply authentic identification numbers that link a brand to the particular product being sold.

Purchasing ready-made barcodes or GTINs could result in labeling your product with another company's identification number. This is often a short-term fix that will then lead to confusion for retailers, unnecessary relabeling costs, and slower company growth.

When Does a Business Need a New GTIN?

There are a few rare exceptions, but typically businesses need to create a different GTIN for every variation of their product. Product variations like items with different quantities or colors require unique GTINs to differentiate them from each other.

GS1 maintains a set of rules called the GTIN Management Standard that is available to help brands understand the nuances and specific instances for when new GTINs are needed. The standard works as a critical guide to help the industry remain consistent when it comes to the unique identification of trade items in the supply chain.

How are GTINs Used on Amazon?

Online marketplaces like Amazon recognize the importance of product information to the shopper experience. Today's busy online shoppers won't stick around to hunt for the information that they need - they'll just leave. With the right product identification, a product can be found in more search results, leading to increased sales and loyalty. Online marketplaces are also more likely to work with brands long-term if they are able to confirm the relationship between a product’s physical and digital existence with correct GTIN usage.

Product identification is required in more than 25 Amazon product categories. Seller Central provides guidance on when products may be exempt, or if multipacks or bundles require additional GTINs. Generally, Amazon requires that each sellable unit have its own GTIN, including bundles (a grouping of similar hair accessories, for example) or multi-packs (a multipack of 4 boxes of crackers, for example). It is important to become familiar with Amazon’s rules for each, as there are specific items that are prohibited from being bundled or featured in a multipack, and product listings must contain specific information about the contents of these groupings.

Get GS1 Barcodes for Amazon

You can find GS1 barcodes for Amazon on the GS1 site, which also includes additional information and pricing details. If you have any questions about GS1, comment below!