What is UPC & UPC Review

UPC is the full name of universal production code in English, and the full name of UPC in Chinese is "Universal Product Code", also known as "product code" or "barcode". It is a commodity-specific barcode developed by the Uniform Code Council of the United States and patented in 1949. UPC is the earliest barcode to be used on a large scale. Its characteristic is that it is a barcode with a fixed length and continuity. It is currently mainly used in the United States and Canada, and later became popular in international trade.

About UPC

There are five versions of UPC codes: A, B, C, D, and E, and they are universally used. When sellers upload products on Amazon, most product categories require the use of specific GTINs (Global Trade Item Codes, which include UPC, EAN, JAN, or ISBN), and the most commonly used is UPC. UPC requirements vary for different product categories or different types of products in the same category. Some categories may allow sellers to apply for UPC exemptions. In addition to applying for registered barcodes from the China Article Coding Association, you can also purchase UPC barcodes (and EAN barcodes) from Barcodestalk, the barcode supplier officially recommended by Amazon. These are all regular barcodes from GS1, which can provide professional digital certificates and protocols and are universally used.

Version

UPC code can only be used to represent numbers, so its code set is the numbers 0 to 9. There are five versions of UPC code: A, B, C, D, and E.

composition

There are two types of UPC barcodes: standard version and shortened version. The standard version consists of 12 digits, and the shortened version consists of 8 digits. The encoding structure of the standard version of UPC12 is: system code (1 digit) + manufacturer code (5 digits) + product code (5 digits) + check code (1 digit).

UPC-A Composition

The UPC-A code is what everyone commonly calls the UPC code.

The UPC-A code is a 12-digit digital code that is readable by humans. Its code structure consists of three parts: the manufacturer identification code (including 1 system character), the product item code, and the check code (1 bit).

Note:

The meanings of the system characters are as follows: 0-regular general merchandise, 2-merchants with irregular weights, 3-medical and sanitary products, 4-retailer-only (unrestricted code structure, no check code), 5-tickets, 7-retail merchandise, and 1, 6, 8, and 9 are backup codes.

The longer the manufacturer code, the shorter the product item code.

Domestic UPC acquisition channels

1. Purchase through official channels.

2. UPC generator.

3. Apply to join the Chinese Product Barcode System.

4. Carry out brand registration. After passing, you do not need to fill in UPC.

Rules of Use (Amazon)

1. One sku corresponds to one upc;

2. Amazon, eBay, etc. can use the same UPC.

Comparison of UPC and EAN

1. Both belong to the GS1 system, so either one can be used to upload your products.

2. Add 0 in front of Upc and it can be used as EAN.

How to identify genuine UPC

1. Regular barcodes can be found on the website of the Uniform Code Council of the United States.

2. Formal barcodes are obtained by company entities through application, and government agencies grant one authorization certificate for one barcode range. There is absolutely no such thing as giving applicants the authority to issue certificates, and there is no such thing as one certificate for one barcode.

3. If you buy a barcode from Company A, and the GS1 query results show that the company it belongs to is Company B or another company, then your complaint on Amazon will be ineffective, as Amazon will believe that you are not the owner of the UPC.

Some questions about UPC

1. How to enter the UPC code?

When creating a new product listing, a Product ID is required. Select UPC from the drop-down list and enter the integers from left to right.

2. Are the UPC codes for the same product the same?

If it is the same product, then they are the same. You can use the same UPC code for any number of the same product. If the product is already listed, then just change the quantity of the product you are selling.

3. My product is already listed on Amazon and I want to list the same product do I need to buy a UPC code?

If the item is already on Amazon and it is the exact same item, you should piggyback on that detail page instead of starting a new page. If the item is already on the site, there is no need to purchase a UPC code. Select ASIN in the Product ID drop-down list and enter the active listing ASIN number.

4. Does the Amazon UPC code have to be on every product I list? What if I list 50 products?

You can list any number of the same item with 1 single UPC code. If you sell 100 brushes when you create your product listing, you only need 1 UPC code for all 100 brushes. UPC codes do not have to be on your products. Amazon gives you a unique identifier for each item when you create your product listing, and it needs to be placed on your product. UPC codes are only used for product listing purposes.

5. People say I need a GS1 barcode to sell on Amazon. What does GS1 mean?

GS1 is an organization that develops standard barcodes for business communication. When you purchase a GS1 barcode, you are purchasing a unique identifier that can be traced back only to your business and products. Amazon only accepts barcodes that meet GS1 standards.