Preparation, Labelling and Barcoding
- Melissa Armstrong (Unlicensed)
- Emma Mooney
- Caroline Muir (Unlicensed)
EnZone teams are experts in Amazon’s guidelines and policies. Any hub can perform product preparation and special projects such as labelling, packaging, boxing, bundling, etc.
It is mandatory for all labels to have a minimum of a barcode and also where the product is made e.g. Made in China - usually situated either above or below the barcode.
If space allows, it’s also good to have:
Your brand name or logo
Product SKU
Short description of the Product
Mini bullet points of features
Simple image of the Product
All product labels sit on the outside of the packaging on each individual Product.
Why do I need a barcode?
A barcode is the Product identifier that Amazon uses to pick the correct Product. It’s important that you buy a unique barcode for your Products through one of your companies. This means that the barcode is then owned by your company and avoids any duplications and future issues at Amazon.
What is a UPC, EAN or GS1 code?
These are all terms for a GS1 barcode number or Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) i.e. the number found under the barcode on every Product. GS1 is the worldwide body that oversees the use of barcodes.
Where do I get my barcode from?
First, you will need a GS1 Company Prefix. You will only need 1 x GS1 account to sell globally i.e. not one per country. This means that the same barcode can be used in as many countries as you sell in.
However, as the GS1 Account belongs to your business/entity, you have to sign up to the correct country e.g. if you are selling in the USA, sign up for a USA GS1 account.
The main websites are as follows but if your country is not on there, search for GS1 followed by the country your business/entity is registered in.
The pricing is very different depending on the country you register in.
Don’t use any other barcode site which you think may be cheaper to buy your barcodes as they may not be unique and will cause problems in the future.
Do I need a different barcode for each unit?
You only need 1 barcode per SKU or per Product, not per unit. However, if you have the same Product but in a different colour or pack size, this will require a new barcode to differentiate between the different Product offering.
Do I need a barcode for my bonus item?
No, your bonus item is part of your core Product and is packed with that item so you do not need a separate barcode for this.
Why are there different types of barcode and which should I use?
There are 2 different types of barcode:
EAN also known as GTIN-13 – this has 13 digits
UPC – 12 digits
EAN is more globally used.
If you have any queries, search on the Freight section on Facebook to see if the answer is there. There is a lot of information covered off from previously asked questions.
SKU, MSKU, FNSKU - What’s the Difference?