{"id":410,"date":"2023-04-17T17:35:16","date_gmt":"2023-04-17T17:35:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/?p=410"},"modified":"2023-06-19T06:30:16","modified_gmt":"2023-06-19T06:30:16","slug":"sku-vs-upc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/sku-vs-upc\/","title":{"rendered":"SKU vs. UPC: Inventory Labeling Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You\u2019ll sometimes see the terms SKU and UPC used seemingly interchangeably, but there are important differences, particularly if you run a store or a business that sells products to consumers or other companies. In this guide, we\u2019ll delve deeper into UPC vs. SKU, highlighting the main differences and outlining the use of different types of codes for sales, tracking, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/best-inventory-management-software\/\">inventory management<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are SKU and UPC Codes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>SKU and UPC codes are used widely in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/how-to-start-an-ecommerce-business\/\">product sales<\/a>. The acronyms stand for \u201cstock keeping unit\u201d and \u201cuniversal product code.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is an SKU?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>An SKU is a scannable, alphanumeric code assigned to a product by a retailer. SKUs usually contain a combination of letters and numbers and are designed solely for internal use. Retailers and companies can come up with their own SKU number system or utilize software to generate SKUs. An SKU number used by different retailers will be different when selling the same product. The UPC will be the same.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a UPC?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A UPC is a numeric, 12-digit code assigned to products across all retailers and vendors. The UPC is for external use among all retailers. The UPC doesn\u2019t contain letters, it\u2019s always 12 digits long, and it\u2019s printed as a barcode. If two retailers sell the same product, the SKU will be different, and the UPC will be the same.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authority responsible for maintaining UPCs is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gs1.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GS1<\/a>, the international organization that develops and maintains standards for unambiguously identifying entities such as products, documents, logistics units, physical locations, and more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">UPC vs. SKU Comparison<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The key differences between SKUs and UPCs include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Length<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The UPC is always 12 digits long. The SKU can be any number of digits. Usually, an SKU is six to 12 digits long.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Composition<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The UPC is numeric. The SKU consists of both letters and numbers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The UPC is used across all retailers. The SKU is designed for internal use only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Consistency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The UPC is consistent across every retailer or business. The SKU is unique to the specific retailer or vendor. UPCs are generated randomly via a universal system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Cost<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>SKUs are free. There is a charge for obtaining UPCs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Printing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The UPC is printed as a barcode. The SKU can be printed as a singular code or with a barcode.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SKU vs. UPC: When To Use Which Code<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When To Use SKUs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common use for SKUs is to manage stock inventories efficiently. Retailers can use SKUs for inventory management and to track sales and collect and analyze data. SKUs are designed for internal use, and they\u2019re used widely by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/how-does-ecommerce-work\/\">eCommerce companies<\/a> and store owners. Uses of SKUs include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Managing and organizing inventories: With SKU numbers, you can manage and organize your inventory in real time and with ease. Every product has an SKU, which can be scanned to bring up relevant information. Retailers can develop a system to create codes based on product categories, sizes, colors, or brands or use software or SKU generators to speed up the process. If you use SKUs, you should find it easier to track products, update your inventory, monitor stock levels, and locate products.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Providing customer assistance: One of the most significant benefits of SKUs for companies that sell products to buyers in-store is enhanced customer assistance. Assistants can now scan codes to locate products, find various sizes or colors, and make recommendations if the product the client wants is out of stock.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collecting and analyzing sales data: SKUs provide access to useful information about sales, consumer trends, and buying habits. Retailers can utilize SKUs to gauge the demand for various types of products, monitor sales at different times of the year, and spot emerging trends to boost sales.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When To Use UPCs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>UPCs are required for businesses and vendors looking to sell products on external platforms. If you want to sell on Amazon, for example, or you\u2019re interested in pitching to retailers like Walmart, you\u2019ll need to ensure that your items have universal barcodes. UPC stock can still have an SKU &#8211; one doesn\u2019t exclude the other. It\u2019s beneficial for retailers to maintain SKU number systems for internal inventory management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SKU vs. UPC vs. Serial Number<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerhope.com\/jargon\/s\/serinumb.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">serial number<\/a> is a unique code specific to the individual product. It\u2019s common to use serial numbers to identify issues with electrical appliances and computers. If you report a problem or you need advice, for example, you may be asked to provide the serial number so that the manufacturer can track the item and access information about the owner, the date of purchase, and the warranty status.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">RN Code and EAN Code<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Registered identification numbers (RNs) are issued by the Federal Trade Commission to businesses and vendors in the US that manufacture, distribute, or import products governed by the Textile, Wool, and Fur Acts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for European article numbers (EAN) and international article numbers (IAN), they\u2019re used by companies outside of the US.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">UPC and SKU Tracking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>UPC and SKU tracking can be done manually, but more and more companies are choosing to take advantage of innovative software, for example, point-of-sale systems. Examples include Shopify, Lightspeed, Square for Retail, and Clover.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Further Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/best-pos-system\/\">Finding the Best POS System for Your Small Business<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/what-is-a-sales-pipeline\/\">What Is a Sales Pipeline and How Do You Manage One?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/what-is-an-ein-number\/\">What Is an EIN Number?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ll sometimes see the terms SKU and UPC used seemingly &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/knowledge-base\/sku-vs-upc\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">SKU vs. UPC: Inventory Labeling Basics<\/span> Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3532,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410\/revisions\/3532"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smallbizgenius.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}