Definition
UPC and EAN
UPC-A and EAN-13 are the 12- and 13-digit retail barcodes printed on packaged goods; the number is assigned by GS1 and identifies the product worldwide.
A UPC-A is 12 digits: a company prefix licensed from GS1, an item reference you assign, and a check digit that lets a scanner detect misreads. EAN-13 is the 13-digit international version; a UPC-A is an EAN-13 with a leading zero.
If you only sell in your own shop you do not need a licensed prefix. Codes that start with 2 are reserved for in-store use and will never collide with a product on a supermarket shelf. If you sell through other retailers or marketplaces that require GTINs, buy a GS1 prefix.
In Inventory Now
Scan any UPC or EAN and Inventory Now looks the product up in a shared catalog. Generate in-store UPCs for items that have none.
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