Retail Barcodes

Our EAN or UPC barcodes are suitable for any retail product worldwide (except books & magazines).

We supply the barcodes in both EAN-13 and UPC-A formats. UPC format is commonly used in Canada and the USA, while the rest of the world primarily uses the EAN-13 format.

Should I use the UPC or EAN barcode?

Within the USA, barcodes are usually in 12-digit UPC format; however, outside the USA, the 13-digit EAN format is preferred.

If you plan to sell your product only in the USA, we recommend using a barcode in UPC-12 format. If you plan to sell your product in another country, the best format is EAN-13.

If you sell your product in several countries, including the USA, you can get a barcode in EAN-13 or UPC-12 format. Most barcode scanners can read EAN and UPC barcodes, so using the same barcode on your product, regardless of which country it is in, is acceptable. An EAN (European standard) barcode within the USA or a UPC barcode outside the USA is acceptable.

Using your barcode:

You will receive your unique EAN-13 or UPC-12 barcode number by email, a guarantee certificate (for proof of ownership) and your barcode images.

The barcode images will be sent in four files (jpeg, png, SVG, and pdf). The images will be about 38 mm x 25 mm (standard barcode size). If you need to reduce the size a bit, that is fine (the smallest recommended size is 80% of the standard size, i.e., about 30 mm x 20 mm).

You can put your barcode on your product label or packaging & start using it immediately. Your barcode will be a blank number (it will not contain any product or company details). After you give your product to your retailer, they will scan the barcode & type the product information into their system – this will connect your barcode to your product. After that, when they scan your barcode, the product name & details will appear on their checkout screen.

Need help?

Here are some common questions:

How many barcodes do I need?
The best practice is to get a different barcode for each product or product variation. This is because stores use barcodes for two primary purposes: 1. Barcodes are used to obtain the product’s price when scanned at the checkout. 2. Barcodes track stock and decide when to reorder an item.

This means that if the retailers only use barcodes for option 1, you can get away with having the same barcode for 2 product variations (i.e. different colours of the same product). However, if the retailer uses barcodes for option 2, a different barcode will be required for each product variation.

In general, retailers prefer to stock products that are straightforward to manage. Some retailers may prefer not to stock products if they have to manually count how many are left of each size and reorder accordingly. Therefore, it is recommended that you have a different barcode for each variation.

Will Your Barcodes Work Worldwide?
Yes, they will. We can supply EAN-13 Barcodes (used worldwide) and UPC-A Barcodes (used in the USA and Canada).

Do Your Barcodes Work in Every Shop?
Our barcodes are accepted in nearly all stores worldwide, with a few exceptions. For further details, please see Barcode Acceptance.

What Type of Barcode Do I need? If you’re not sure which kind of barcode you need for your product, our quick rule of thumb is as follows:
Selling in the USA = UPC-A
Selling internationally = EAN-13

Please see our FAQ page or contact us if you have any questions or would like advice.