If you're an entrepreneur who has developed your own product and want to sell it in physical stores or through online platforms, you need to consider the requirements these retailers and platforms set to keep their inventories up to date and offer the best service.
Today, one of the main requirements is the barcode —those series of lines of different widths you see on almost every product you buy in a store. The barcode is scanned by an optical reader at checkout, and the seller can view the product's details on the computer.
The advantage of barcodes is that they make it easier for most establishments to accept products and goods, which is why it's essential your products meet this requirement.
Thanks to these codes, many retail chains have sped up their checkout systems and commercial processes between companies, enabling safer, more convenient and faster purchases.
In many countries, an estimated 98% of products sold in stores have a barcode. Each region has a specific code; in Europe, the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) used is called EAN (European Article Number).
Below we clear up your doubts about barcodes and how to handle the process reliably and easily.
Do you want to sell your own product?
Today, more and more markets recognise the advantages of using GS1 standard codes for identifying, controlling, tracking and selling products.
Do you need a barcode to sell your own product?
Any product you want to bring to market for sale should have a barcode. If your product has this information on its label, you can place it in physical stores or on marketplaces like AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, PriceMinister, Google Shopping, etc.
What types of barcodes are used for your own product?
There are several barcodes worldwide —EAN, UPC, Code 39, Code 128, Code 93 and others— but the most used are EAN (European Article Number), used in the EU and now adopted by almost every country, and UPC (Universal Product Code), accepted in the US and Canada if you want to sell there.
What is an EAN and a UPC barcode?
A barcode is a universal identification system, today essential for marketing any product —the key for physical retail, online stores and modern industry.
EAN codes are a 13-digit line system whose numeric structure corresponds to the country of origin, the manufacturer and the product identifier. UPC codes are also a line system, but made up of 12 digits.
How do barcodes work for your own product?
The barcode lets the company, retailer or online store quickly recognise any item uniquely and globally within a supply-chain point, by reading it with a scanner or optical reader.
How to get a barcode for your own product?
The companies that generate these codes are recognised and certified worldwide. They provide certified, unique and guaranteed codes. To get them:
- Order the codes according to the number of products you want to sell.
- Pay for the order; the confirmation is sent to your email.
- The barcodes are emailed to you in graphic format, ready to print.
In what format do you get the barcodes?
- JPEG — the most used; compresses images and is easily read by any computer.
- TIFF — used when the image needs a transparent background.
- EPS — high quality and versatility, preferred by many graphic designers.
What are the payment methods to get EAN and UPC codes?
To pay, only contact details and a credit card are needed; no product information is required. You can also pay via PayPal and bank transfer. For more information, contact us.