What is a product identifier?
A product identifier is a unique code or number given to a specific product, allowing it to be easily identified among other products. Some typical examples of product identifiers are the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), and Manufacturer Part Number (MPN).
These tags are commonly printed alongside barcodes on physical items, enabling easy scanning and incorporation into POS systems. Depending on the type of identifier, they appear as either numerical or alphanumerical sequences.
Similar to how barcodes are used in physical stores, online product listings rely on GTINs and MPNs. Although traditionally associated with inventory management, these identifiers are now critical for multichannel commerce.
Online, they play a significant role in optimizing product listings, helping customers easily locate items through search filters and categories. They also assist search engines and marketplaces in identifying and prioritizing products, enhancing their visibility.
This guide will explore key product identifiers and how they contribute to optimizing your business operations and improving efficiency.
Overview of key product identifiers
1. GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
GTIN, which stands for Global Trade Item Number, is a GS1 identification key used to uniquely identify trade items, including products or services offered in online marketplaces or physical stores. It provides a globally recognized way to distinguish your specific product or service.
GTINs serve two main purposes. First, they are encoded into barcodes to be scanned at various points like retail checkouts, healthcare facilities, or distribution centers, ensuring accurate data capture.
Second, when customers in an e-commerce environment can't physically interact with the products before purchase, a GTIN makes sure that the right item is picked, packed, and shipped to match the listing.
Further, GTINs serve as keys to obtain pre-defined information such as pricing and product information which can be shared to trading partners via the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network-GDSN. They are also used in EDI and GS1 XML transactions, which enable the interchange of purchase orders, invoices, shipment notifications between business partners.
2. SKU (Stock Keeping Unit):
A SKU is a method your business can use to track inventory. Usually, it consists of both letters and numbers accompanied by a barcode that can be scanned on the item's packaging. This code keeps record of crucial information like the cost, product features, maker, and sales location. SKUs may also be linked to intangible items such as maintenance services or guarantees.
Retailers, e-commerce platforms, service providers, warehouses, and fulfillment centers often use SKUs for efficient inventory management. Managers can easily determine when products need to be restocked using scannable SKUs and a POS system.
When a customer buys something at the checkout, the SKU is scanned, which updates inventory and records details such as the sale price.
3. EAN (European Article Number)
The EAN, the predecessor to the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), is part of the EAN/UPC barcode family, which is the most widely adopted GS1 barcode, ideal for use in point-of-sale (POS) systems. These barcodes enhance efficiency in environments where high-volume scanning is common and are utilized in conjunction with GTINs and Restricted Circulation Numbers (RCNs). EAN/UPC barcodes also find applications in coupons and in-store coding systems.
Beyond retail, EAN/UPC barcodes are also used in logistics and distribution, and they both encode GTINs within their barcodes. For these codes to be scanned at a POS, they need a GS1-assigned Company Prefix, which ensures global standardization for item and shipment identification.
The EAN functions as the European counterpart to the UPC (Universal Product Code). While UPCs are predominantly used in the U.S. and Canada, EANs are more common in the rest of the world. One key difference is that UPCs have 12 digits, while EANs contain 13, as they include an additional country code. EANs were introduced to accommodate the growing demand across Europe, Asia, and Australia, thus expanding the availability of codes.
4. ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number)
ASIN, or Amazon Standard Identification Number, is a unique identifier made up of 10 letters and/or numbers that Amazon assigns to products in its vast catalog. It is mainly used for identifying products within Amazon’s inventory, which includes billions of items.
For books, the ASIN is identical to the ISBN number. For other products, a new ASIN is generated when the item is added to Amazon’s catalog. ASINs are unique within each marketplace, meaning that the same product could have different ASINs across various national Amazon sites.
ASINs play a critical role in Amazon's system. They are used to reference catalog information, track product inventory, and help index catalog pages for search and browsing on Amazon.
ASINs are a core element of Amazon’s catalog structure, enabling:
- Shoppers to navigate and refine searches through various categories,
- Customers to look up specific products by their ASIN,
- Amazon to deliver precise and relevant search results.
Therefore, it’s crucial for sellers to correctly identify and use the appropriate ASIN for their products. Failing to do so can lead to Amazon being unable to organize or locate the products effectively, which hampers the shopping experience.
Other product identifiers
Other identifiers, such as UPC (Universal Product Code), ISBN (International Standard Book Number), and TCIN (Target’s internal code), also play a significant role in product identification. The UPC is commonly used for retail products, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, while the ISBN is specifically for books.
TCIN, on the other hand, is an internal code unique to Target, used to track and manage their inventory. Unlike ASINs or GTINs, which are primarily used by Amazon and the global supply chain respectively, these identifiers serve specific retailers or industries, highlighting their more focused usage.
How to choose the right product identifier?
Choosing the right product identifier depends on the product type, the region you're selling in, and the marketplace. While UPC (Universal Product Code) is commonly used in North America, Europe typically relies on the EAN (European Article Number) system for retail items. The EAN-13 is the standard format in Europe, which is very similar to the UPC but has 13 digits instead of 12.
For books, ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is universally used, including in Europe.
If you're selling on Amazon, the ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is still essential, regardless of the region. However, products listed on Amazon Europe often require an EAN or GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) to generate the ASIN, unless the product is exempt from requiring a GTIN.
By choosing the right identifier, you can simplify inventory tracking, sales, and order management. Additionally, using the right identifier can optimize both the customer shopping experience and internal operations.
Boosting sales with product bundling
Our product bundling feature can help create unique offers all sold under a unique GTIN. This ensures that products get listed on unique detail pages, cutting out direct competition on similar offers.
Bundling can help move underperforming products and increase the average order value (AOV).
Common questions and misconceptions
Is GTIN the same as UPC?
A UPC (Universal Product Code) is a type of GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) used primarily in North America. All UPCs are GTINs, but not all GTINs are UPCs.
What is a TCIN number?
TCIN (Target Item Control Number) is a unique identifier used by Target marketplace to manage products in their inventory. It is internal to Target and not a global standard like GTIN.
GTIN vs. EAN: Are they the same?
EAN (European Article Number) is a specific type of GTIN used mainly outside of North America. They are often used interchangeably, but technically EANs are a subset of GTINs.
ASIN vs. ISBN: When should you use which?
Use an ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) for products listed on Amazon. ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is used globally for books. You'd use ISBN for book listings, and ASIN for other product types on Amazon.
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