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Identifiers

What is GTIN?

Also known as UPC, EAN, Global Trade Item Number

A GTIN is a globally unique product barcode number. UPC (12 digits, North America) and EAN (13 digits, Europe) are both types of GTIN, and most marketplaces require one to create a listing.

Why it matters

GTINs must be purchased from GS1, the body that issues them. Cheap resold barcodes frequently fail marketplace validation because the registered owner does not match the seller.

Walmart in particular blocks a listing outright without a valid GTIN. If your product genuinely has no barcode — handmade goods, private label in some categories — apply for an exemption in advance rather than discovering the requirement at upload.

Related

Terms that come up alongside this one

ASIN
An ASIN is the ten-character alphanumeric code Amazon assigns to every product in its catalogue. It identifies the product page, not your particular offer on it.
SKU
A SKU is your own internal code for a specific product variant. Unlike an ASIN or GTIN, it is chosen by you and does not need to be unique outside your own catalogue.

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