How to get a barcode for your product

Mike Harvanek

Mike Harvanek

Characterization Expert | Problem Solver - Helps Businesses Elevate Sales Through Great Labels & Product Packaging.

Published Feb 5, 2021

Custom Printed product label with barcode

If yous create your ain products you're probably wondering if yous need barcodes in social club to sell your products at the online, local or national level. The answer is, It Depends.

How to determine if you demand a barcode for your products

You DON'T NEED A BARCODE if yous:

  • sell products directly to consumers through your website
  • sell products straight to consumers at in-person arts and crafts fairs, merchandise shows, weekend events, etc.
  • sell products straight to consumers in an online market (Etsy, Ebay, IndieMade, etc.)
  • sell products to local retail stores (they usually have their own barcoding system)
  • sell products to whatsoever retail stores that exercise not require barcodes (hotel bondage, museum gift shops, hospital souvenir shops, etc.)

You DO Need A BARCODE if you lot:

  • sell products on Amazon
  • sell products on an online marketplace that requires them
  • sell to large retailers similar Walmart, Target, Barnes & Noble, Walgreens, GNC, etc.
  • sell to whatever retail stores that require barcode

Custom Printed skincare product label with barcode

How to get a barcode for your products

The primary manner to go virtually getting barcodes is through one of ii services offered by GS1US.org. The 2 services for issuing barcodes are GS1 Visitor Prefix and GS1 US GTIN. Which fashion you go depends on a few things.

Hither are some questions to ask yourself earlier deciding what option is best for you:

  • Practise you have coin to invest in barcodes?
  • How many products do you need barcodes for now and in the future?
  • What type of online or offline retailers exercise yous plan on selling your products to?

GS1 Company Prefix

A GS1 Company Prefix is a unique identification number that GS1 US bug just to your company—and it's office of every barcode, Universal Product Code, and identification number you create. It'southward the internationally accustomed way to uniquely identify your make in the global supply chain.

Once you lot gear up your Visitor Prefix, you tin can create unique barcodes for each production through their online organisation. If you have A LOT of products and if you program on selling to major retail stores, it'southward a proficient thought to use GS1 Company Prefix.

$ - There is an initial setup fee and an almanac renewal fee associated with this barcode service.

GS1 US GTIN

A GS1 U.s. GTIN is the cardinal to unique product identification. Information technology'south a unique number issued by GS1 The states that identifies a single retail product. It is a streamlined barcode issuing service that is meant to exist used with one-off or limited products lines. If you accept a small number of products or program to invest in barcodes as you get, this will likely exist the best choice for you.

$ - There is no setup or renewal fee with this service. You pay 1 flat fee for the life of the barcode.

While obtaining a barcode for your product label is not complicated, there are some choices to be made. Plenty of information can be plant at GS1US.org. When it comes to adding your barcode to your production label artwork, InkWise Label tin can help. Our label design services tin easily handle generating barcodes and incorporating them into your product label blueprint. Y'all can contact u.s. with whatever questions most calculation barcodes to your product labels.

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