SKU Vs UPC
What is the difference between SKU and UPC? We’ve got you covered! This page will tell you all you need to know about SKU and UPC. Let us know about “SKU Vs UPC”
Many people interchange the phrases “SKU” and “UPC,” but it’s critical for small company owners and staff who handle inventory to understand the distinction.
In a word, SKUs are unique internal product inventory identifiers for a specific organisation, whereas UPC barcodes are external product tracking numbers that are standardised for universal usage by any corporation. SKU and UPC numbers are not the same, yet they share many of the same applications and best practices.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
SKU numbers (short for “stock keeping unit,” pronounced “skew”) are alphanumeric identifiers used by businesses to manage inventory quantities and sales. SKU numbers can be allocated to both physical objects and chargeable intangible products such as repair time units or warranties. As a result, SKUs may be viewed as codes allocated to a company’s billable entities.
SKU numbers are assigned by each firm. Manufacturers assign product model numbers to SKUs. Warehouses, marketplaces, fulfilment centres, catalogues, and e-commerce sites all employ SKUs. Amazon, for example, provides each product a unique 10-character Amazon SKU number, also known as an Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN). ASINs differ from manufacturer model numbers and SKU numbers used by other Amazon vendors.
- To summarise, let’s take a look at the best practices for creating your own SKU codes:
- Keep your codes between eight and twelve characters long.
- Use a combination of letters and numbers.
- To improve readability, begin codes with a letter.
- Avoid utilising SKUs from the manufacturer.
UPC (Universal Product Codes)
UPC (Universal Product Code) barcodes were created in 1974 to assist shops in tracking trade products. UPCs are 12-digit numeric codes. A UPC is a barcode you watch the clerk scan as you move through the grocery checkout line.
UPCs are administered and managed by GS1 US, the American division of the worldwide organisation GS1 (formerly called the Uniform Code Council). A UPC is assigned to a product and remains constant during its shelf life.
Even if a product is offered by different merchants, its UPC remains the same.
Comparison Between SKU And UPC
SKU numbers are exclusive to each shop, but UPC barcodes are universal and stay consistent for a product regardless of which retailer sells it. As a result, even if a product is allocated several SKU numbers by different firms, it will keep a single UPC.
Another distinction between SKUs and UPCs is that SKUs are alphanumeric, whereas UPCs are numeric. UPC barcodes must be 12 digits long, however, SKU numbers can be whatever length that the company assigns to them. SKU numbers are generated by the organisations that utilise them internally, whereas UPC barcodes are managed by GS1. Companies can freely generate their own SKU numbers, but UPC barcode codes must be acquired and licensed.
Today, corporate software app suppliers are developing ways to combine SKU and UPC scanning, as well as digital inventory tracking, point-of-sale, and order processing fulfilment, and accounting software to make utilising SKUs and UPCs easier and efficient.
How Do You Keep Track Of SKUs And UPCs?
Manually managing SKUs and UPCs is doable, but as your company expands, automating using a POS system can make inventory management much more efficient and eliminate mistakes. Some of the best POS systems provide solutions:
- Square for Retail: Square for Retail is Square’s regular point-of-sale (POS) system plus retail-specific capabilities including bulk inventory addition. When adding new goods to the Square Dashboard, you may enter and even auto-generate product SKUs. When you’re ready, you may print barcode labels directly from your Dashboard. UPC data may also be entered into your item library or imported through a CSV file.
- Shopify: This platform includes an app called SKUGen, which allows for SKU development, maintenance, and barcode printing. UPC data may be added to your items through a CSV file or separately for each item. You may buy and associate UPCs with items via a third-party app.
- Lightspeed: This platform does not produce SKUs automatically, but it does include an SKU and UPC field for each item. You may update things individually or import data through a CSV file.
Conclusion
Now we have learnt “SKU Vs UPC”, A suitable inventory management system and a suitable product identifier system will help you manage your inventory effectively. Inventory management may help you free up working capital, which can then be used for more productive uses. Choose your coding system and inventory management system sensibly, based on your company’s needs and financial capabilities.
FAQs
- Where can I find a product’s SKU or UPC?
UPCs and SKUs are frequently found alongside product labels. UPCs are 12-digit digits, whereas SKUs are alphanumeric codes. Both are clearly distinguished on the label.
- Can I generate my UPC?
No, GS1 assigns UPCs; the quantity of UPCs assigned to the business depends on the plan you choose.
