How Many UPC Barcodes Do I Need?
One per product variation
I am selling backpacks and have only one variation but will have 5,000 units made. Do I need one barcode or 5,000 barcodes?
Answer: One UPC that is replicated on all 5,000 units.
1 Barcode
I sell shirts and have 2 different styles, each with 3 sizes.
Number of styles: 2
Sizes for each style:
Small, Medium, Large
Answer: 6 UPC barcodes needed
2 x 3 = 6 Barcodes
UPC codes can be licensed for as little as 1 year or up to 99 years!
Lock in your product identifier with a longer duration to save money!
$4.95
99 Years
$10.95
10 Years
$12.95
3 Years
$14.95
1 Year
What are the steps?
- Determine how many UPC codes you will need.
- Complete the Registration Form.
- Once submitted, the GS1 database will be updated with the information provided.
- Media files will be generated including an Excel spreadsheet, JPG and PNG image files for each barcode, and a Certificate of Verification
- Please allow up to 24 hours for the GS1 database to update and media files to generate and be sent.
All GTIN/UPC codes are GS1 registered and include a JPG, PDF, Spreadsheet, and Certificate of Authenticity
Barcodes can take a variety of forms. UPC is what we are most familiar with on products at the grocery store and other retailers. Amazon uses a Fulfillment Network Stock Keeping Unit, or FNSKU for internally tracking units. And a QR Code, while not technically a barcode, is a 2D data matrix often used for website links, contact information, etc.
Contact Us if you wish to use Wise, Wire Transfer, or another form of payment.
History of Barcodes?!
YES PLEASE!
Universal Product Code, or UPC for short, were created in the early 1970’s by the Uniform Code Council (UCC). The very first item ever scanned with a UPC barcode was a pack of Wrigley’s Chewing Gum in June 1974!
From 1974 until 2002 any person or company could purchase and own a UPC prefix. However, eventually UCC realized they would run out of prefixes (whoops!) so they stopped selling the prefixes and switched to a licensing model and attempted to reclaim previously sold prefixes.
Shockingly, this did not go over well with companies who had already purchased a prefix. So… a Class Action Lawsuit was filed against UCC arguing that the purchase agreements of the prefixes clearly stated they were owned in perpetuity (meaning…forever!). The court agreed with the prefix owners and decided that any prefix generated before the settlement date of August 28, 2002 is an owned asset of the company and can be sold, bought, or licensed free and clear of any GS1 interference!
So…that means…
All UPC barcodes owned and leased by United Barcodes were generated prior to the August 28, 2002 settlement and are fully accepted by Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy, and all retail outlets.
What makes up a UPC Barcode?
UPC barcodes are comprised of 3 parts: The prefix (first 7 digits), the item number (next 5 digits), and a check digit that calculates when scanned.
Each prefix can create 100,000 individual and unique barcodes!
