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There are different types of product codes. Some unique identifiers that are recognized worldwide are the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), which can include barcodes like UPCs, EANs, and ISBNs. Some products might be exempt from having a GTIN.
The Universal Product Code (UPC) is commonly used in the United States and Canada. It consists of 12 numbers and is often represented as a barcode. The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is used for books, and it identifies the book's edition and publisher. The European Article Number (EAN) is similar to UPC but is used mostly outside of North America and has 13 digits.
Then there's the Stock Keeping Unit (SKU), which is unique to each company. It is an alphanumeric code and helps retailers keep track of their inventory. And finally, the Manufacturer Part Numbers (MPN) are unique identifiers assigned by manufacturers to differentiate their products.
Product codes are incredibly important because they help streamline inventory management, enhance sales tracking and analysis, facilitate efficient product recalls, improve customer experience, and support global trade. They help businesses discover which products are popular, prevent overstocking or understocking problems, and recall products efficiently. For customers, product codes allow for quicker checkouts and easier product searches. They also make listing and selling products across different countries much easier.
Importances
- Enhancing Customer Experience: For customers, product codes lead to speedier checkouts and simpler product searches, both in physical stores or online. These codes also offer access to detailed product information which enriches the shopping experience and supports customers in making informed purchases.
- Efficient Inventory Management: Product codes streamline stock control, making it simple to track inventory and organize warehouse space. They allow quick stock checks and effective storage arrangements, thus helping retailers avoid problems of overstocking or understocking and meet customer demands.
- Improving Sales Tracking and Analysis: Product codes play a crucial role at the point of sale. They offer insights into sales trends and customer preferences, assisting brands and retailers in identifying popular products, updating their marketing tactics, and making product-related decisions.
- Effective Product Recalls: During a product recall, having product codes allows for swift identification of affected items and ensuring a prompt and organized response. This step is important for ensuring public safety and maintaining customers' trust.
- Facilitating International Trade: Standardized product codes like UPCs and EANs simplify international trade by streamlining product listings and sales across different countries and e-commerce platforms. These codes make logistics and customs procedures smoother, supporting global business operations.
Understanding Different Product Codes
- Serves as a global standard, widely used outside North America, similar to UPCs.
- Consists of a 13-digit code, enabling compatibility with the UPC system and offering more capacity.
- Crucial for global commerce, especially on e-commerce platforms catering to an international audience.
- Specific to each retailer or company, differing from UPCs and EANs.
- Usually an alphanumeric code of varying lengths, aiding in internal inventory tracking for retailers.
- Fully customizable, as retailers can develop their SKU systems to track products based on various aspects such as color, size, style, etc.
- Unique identifiers given by manufacturers to distinguish their products from rival offerings.
- Often coupled with other product codes, MPNs help uphold industry standards and specifications.
- Customizable to each company, with various firms using their unique logical number system considering factors like product group, style, color, size, seasonal or non-seasonal products, etc.
- Primarily used in the U.S and Canada for tracking retail items.
- Comprises of a unique 12-digit numerical code assigned to each item.
- Often represented as a scannable barcode at points of sale.
- Exclusively used in the global publishing industry for books.
- Each ISBN uniquely identifies a book's edition and publisher.
- The format has shifted from an original 10-digit code to a 13-digit one for increased capacity and compatibility with the EAN system.
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