{"id":12083,"date":"2023-08-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-19T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.repricerexpress.com\/?p=12083"},"modified":"2025-02-07T15:53:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-07T15:53:51","slug":"amazon-upc-codes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.repricerexpress.com\/amazon-upc-codes\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Buy UPC Codes For Amazon (Sellers Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every product that\u2019s sold on Amazon has a unique string of digits assigned to it called a Unique Product Code or Amazon UPC codes. These codes help categorize items on Amazon so they can be searched and sold easily. But with so many options, how do you know where to find your UPC codes? Luckily, RepricerExpress has done the research work for you and found where you can get them and how to use them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Little Primer on UPC Codes<\/h2>\n

Worldwide, there\u2019s a non-profit organization called GS1<\/a> that determines how UPCs should and do work. They have a database of all of these 12-digit codes in production, which Amazon dips into when checking if your UPC is a match.<\/p>\n

GS1 is the only legitimate global producer of UPC codes, so use them to verify yours is correct. But just because GS1 is the world leader doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t buy UPCs elsewhere, as long as they\u2019re GS1 organizations.<\/p>\n

Diving a Bit Further into UPCs<\/h2>\n

It might look like a jumble of numbers, but each UPC has meaningful sequences that tie it to a specific company and product.<\/p>\n

\"UPC\"<\/p>\n

The first sequence is 6 to 10 digits long and identifies the Company Prefix. After that is a 1 to 5-digit sequence called the reference number, and it\u2019s followed by one digit that\u2019s known as the check digit<\/a> (which means the barcode is correctly composed).<\/p>\n

A Bit of Prep Before Buying UPCs for Amazon<\/h2>\n

Before you pull out your credit card to pay for a whole bunch of UPCs, there are a few things you\u2019ll need to do first.<\/p>\n

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  1. Calculate the number of UPCs you\u2019ll need.<\/strong> Because you can usually get lower prices by buying in bulk, take a few minutes to figure out how many you\u2019ll need. Individual products will need their own UPCs, but so will bundles<\/a>. Make sure you calculate how many separate and bundled items you\u2019ll be selling.<\/li>\n
  2. Choose a pricing plan. <\/strong>While you should be able to buy in bulk and get lower prices that way, pricing plans go a bit beyond that. If you are a small business with few products you can opt to purchase a single UPC or GS1 US GTIN. The cost is $30 each and does not require a renewal fee. Businesses that require more than nine UPCs should instead opt for the traditional GS1 Company Prefix model, which is designed to help businesses manage a larger product line and scale their business. There\u2019s an initial fee of $250 with an annual renewal fee of $50. But if you go up to the next tier to 1 to 100 UPCs, the prices only triple ($750 initial fee, $150 annual renewal fee). Crunch the numbers to see if it makes more sense to triple costs when you\u2019re only doubling the UPCs, or if it\u2019s worth it to invest in a higher bracket.<\/li>\n
  3. Get the right UPC.<\/strong> If you sell both online and off, your UPC needs might differ than if you only sell online. For example, if you\u2019ve got a brick-and-mortar shop with the same items as your Amazon store, then you\u2019ll be using the same GTIN for both. But if those brick-and-mortar items are also being scanned at a warehouse or distribution centre, then you\u2019ll need different codes for the same products.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Best Places to Buy UPC Codes for Amazon<\/h2>\n

    As we noted before, the best, easiest, and most hassle-free way of using a UPC for Amazon is to go through GS1. To do that, just visit the GS1 US store and purchase. Once that\u2019s done, they\u2019ll give you a unique GS1 prefix just for your company and that series of digits will start off every barcode you have.<\/p>\n

    Once you have that string of digits, you can begin attaching GS1 numbers and barcodes to the products you\u2019ll be selling on Amazon<\/a>. GS1 also has a portal where you can manage your barcodes, as well as copy or print them, like if you wanted to make your own labels.<\/p>\n

    The good news is UPCs are fairly affordable.<\/p>\n

    Another reputable place to source UPCs is SnapUPC<\/a>. They promise authentic GS1 codes and will beat any price, with immediate receipt of the UPCs once the payment goes through. The price for one UPC is $5, but when you buy in bulk SnapUPC offers discounts.<\/p>\n

    Other notable places to source UPCs are:<\/p>\n