AliExpress is an e-commerce platform —online sales— founded by several Chinese companies in 2010. It is currently owned by Alibaba Group.
Originally it focused solely on business-to-business e-commerce rather than the general public, so it differed from platforms like Amazon. Its services have since expanded greatly and it now includes sales to the public and between consumers.
If you're a seller with an AliExpress account, you need to use the EAN code system on the platform. Here we cover everything about this system and how to use it on AliExpress.
Do you want to sell your products on AliExpress?
AliExpress lets you start your online sales business easily, without worrying about inventory or shipping. Simplicity is one of its best features: you just add AliExpress products to your online store, then email suppliers so they ship the product to the buyer.
AliExpress has implemented the ability to use this system to list products. This is a great improvement, since barcodes streamline and simplify product uploads. AliExpress has over 5 million products in its database.
Do you need a barcode to sell on AliExpress?
As mentioned, the barcode is an extremely useful tool for tracking each product: with a unique code you can access it quickly and easily. So EAN codes greatly facilitate e-commerce. Although a barcode isn't mandatory to export products from China, the destination country may require it.
What types of barcodes are used on AliExpress?
On AliExpress the most used code is the EAN (European Article Number), as it is the most widely adopted system by countries around the world.
What is an EAN and a UPC barcode?
The barcode is a system of lines and spaces with unique combinations to identify a product; these lines are read by an optical reader so the product's data is processed quickly and easily. Barcodes are omnidirectional, meaning they can be read in any direction.
EAN barcodes (European Article Number) consist of 13 digits distributed as 1-6-6: the first digit on the left refers to the country of origin, the next six to the manufacturer number, and the last six to the product itself. The UPC barcode is similar to the EAN, but consists of 12 digits.
How do barcodes work on AliExpress?
On AliExpress, using barcodes is essential for the effective identification of each product. With this tool, product registration is improved and inventories can be managed optimally. The barcode system is fundamental for growing platforms like AliExpress: as more products are listed, tracking and locating each one becomes much better.
To use this method, uploads are done manually with more than 3,000 categories to choose from.
Barcodes have been very well received by sellers, so the platform is implementing this system across all catalogue upload methods: catalogue importers, external modules, API and Excel.
How to get a barcode for AliExpress?
There are companies dedicated to generating these product identification codes. They are supervised by other bodies that monitor compliance with the various worldwide regulations.
To get barcodes from these certified companies, you can:
- Depending on the number of products you'll sell, order the barcodes.
- Agree the payment method with the company; you may need to email a copy of the payment receipt.
- Once payment is verified, the company sends the barcodes to your email inbox, including printing instructions and how to add them to the product.
In what format do you get AliExpress codes?
There are some common formats for delivering these barcodes:
- JPEG: the most used, with an algorithm that compresses images and is easily read by computers.
- TIFF: used when the barcode needs a transparent background.
- EPS: the highest graphic quality, widely used by graphic designers.
What are the payment methods to get EAN and UPC codes?
The methods generally used to pay for barcodes are credit cards with contact details. Payment can also be made by bank transfer and via PayPal.