Universal Product Codes (UPCs) are an essential part of almost every product you see on the shelves of every store you’ve been to, as well as every product you see sold online.
It is important when your business buys UPC codes that you buy online from a reputable seller to avoid problems in the future. UPCs are 12 digits long and are converted to barcodes that can be easily scanned to manage product inventory.
What is a Barcode?
Table of Contents
Barcodes are the little black lines above the 12-digit number that you see on all products in the world. The black lines represent the unique product code and allow scanners to easily recognize the product and allow suppliers to easily scan inbound and outbound inventory and track inventory levels at the point of sale.
With every SnapUPC order, you will receive the 12 digit UPC code along with the barcode for each code you order. These can be used right out of the box and you can set up product information with your UPC at any retailer in the world.
What is a GTIN 12 number?
A GTIN is a global business identification number that GS1 calls a 12-digit UPC. A UPC is a GTIN and they have the same number, just a different name that describes the unique identifier of each product.
How many UPC codes do I need for my products?
UPC codes are used to identify products with a unique 12-digit number so that they can be scanned in and out of inventory. It also allows computers to know what a product is simply by code rather than description. Each unique product requires a unique UPC code. For example, if you sell T-shirts, each unique color needs a unique UPC. If you have 20 black, 20 white and 20 green for sale, you will need 3 unique UPC codes, 1 for each unique color. Each unique UPC barcode can be printed an unlimited number of times, so if you have 100 medium white shirts, you can print the same UPC barcode 100 times to fit your 100 units.
What is the GS1?
GS1 (formerly UCC) is a non-profit organization that issues company prefixes. In most cases, you don’t need to have a prefix, so you can use UPC without buying an expensive GS1 prefix. Since GS1 issues the UPC world standard, it is not possible to generate barcodes without a prefix.
We have taken steps to purchase prefixes and allow customers to purchase UPC barcodes for $ 5 each (volume discounts available) instead of paying $ 200 + along with annual renewal fees. When you shop at SnapUPC, there are no renewal fees, you own the codes for life, and we guarantee our codes will work for your needs.