Step 2: Apply for UPC (GS1) Company Prefix
The first, and most important, step in obtaining a UPC barcode for your product is to apply for membership and license a UPC (GS1) Company prefix from the standards agency. Whereas Barcode US is the authority for barcoding and UPC implementation, GS1 agency is the global standards organization for product identification. Your company prefix identifies you as the manufacturer throughout the entire product supply-chain. The length of the prefix (and price) is dependent on the number of unique items that require UPC identification. Essentially the standards organization provides the Company Prefix to build GTINs and Barcode US actually creates the barcode files and manages/validates UPC product data on the GTIN.cloud repository.
The number of digits in a Company Prefix can vary between 6 – 10 characters, depending on the number of products a manufacturer needs to identify. A small company, that only needs to identify a single product, would receive a 10-digit number. The membership fee for GS1 is primarily based on the number of products that require identification. To learn how to determine how many UPCs you need, please visit, www.barcode-us.info/how-many-upcs/.
Retailers and online marketplaces (i.e. Amazon) validate that their suppliers’ UPC barcodes contain correctly licensed Company Prefixes using the GS1 Company Database. In addition, company-licensed Prefixes are used for couponing and logistical carton identification.
GS1 Company Prefix Used in Case Markings
In addition to product identification, Company Prefixes are also used for logistic markings. Some retailers, wholesalers, and distributors require suppliers to use barcoded case markings which also follow the GS1 standards. The GTIN-14 is an identification string that includes a company’s unique GS1 Company Prefix.
The UPC/GTIN management and barcode creation is very challenging for new companies. The comprehensive GS1 Barcode Service facilitates the entire process to easily manage GTIN/UPC information and create barcodes. At the end of this simple tutorial, you will be provided information on the GS1 Barcode Service.
