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Product ID means a code used to identify a product in a particular catalog, inventory system, store, marketplace or supply chain. It is not one universal number: the requested ID might be a retailer’s SKU, a manufacturer’s MPN, a GS1 GTIN (such as a UPC or EAN), or an ID created by an e-commerce platform.
Product ID in simple terms
A product ID distinguishes one sellable item or product record from another. A single product can have several IDs because different organizations need different references. For example, one 16-ounce drink may have a manufacturer-issued GTIN, a retailer’s internal SKU, a warehouse location code and a marketplace catalog ID.
GS1 defines a product identifier as a code that identifies a product in commerce. Its globally standardized family is the GTIN: GS1 product identifier explanation.
Product ID versus SKU, GTIN, barcode and MPN
| Term | Meaning | Typical issuer | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product ID | General label for an identifying code in a system | Retailer, platform, manufacturer or software owner | Depends on the system |
| SKU | Stock Keeping Unit; an internal inventory code | Retailer, seller or business | Usually only within that business |
| GTIN | Global Trade Item Number for a commercial trade item | GS1 member organization | Designed for cross-company use |
| UPC / GTIN-12 | Usually a 12-digit GTIN | GS1 | Common in North American retail |
| EAN / GTIN-13 | Usually a 13-digit GTIN | GS1 | Common in international retail |
| GTIN-8 | Short GTIN for small products | GS1 | Small retail packaging |
| GTIN-14 | GTIN format commonly used for cases and higher packaging levels | GS1 | Wholesale and logistics |
| MPN | Manufacturer Part Number | Manufacturer | Manufacturer catalog and some platforms |
| Platform ID | Database or catalog key generated by software | E-commerce, ERP or marketplace platform | Usually limited to that platform |
| Barcode | Machine-readable graphic encoding data | Barcode system or product owner | Scanners and point-of-sale systems |
A SKU such as TSHIRT-BLU-M can be meaningful to one retailer and meaningless to another. Shopify describes SKU and barcode fields as separate product information, while Google Merchant Center warns that an internal SKU is not a substitute for a GTIN: Shopify product details and Google’s identifier guidance.
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What is a GTIN?
A GTIN is a globally recognized identifier for a trade item, such as a product sold in a shop or online marketplace. GS1 describes GTINs as unique and verifiable within its system. The common forms are GTIN-12 (UPC), GTIN-13 (EAN or JAN), GTIN-8 and GTIN-14: what a GS1 GTIN is.
A barcode is not the same thing as a GTIN. The barcode is the visual symbol; the digits printed beneath it commonly represent the GTIN. Some barcodes instead carry batch, expiry, weight, serial or other data. See GS1’s explanation of GTINs, barcodes, EANs and UPCs and how barcodes encode GTINs.
A GTIN normally identifies the product type or trade item, not each individual physical unit. Millions of identical units can share one GTIN; a serial number is added when individual-unit tracking is required.
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Where to find the requested product ID
On packaging
- Look beneath or beside the barcode.
- Check labels marked UPC, EAN, GTIN, ISBN, item number or model number.
- Do not assume a model, lot, expiry or serial number is the requested product identifier.
In a store, seller or platform dashboard
- Open product details, inventory, variant or catalog settings.
- Check exported catalog data, order records and fulfillment screens.
- A platform-generated product ID may exist only in the software and may not be printed on the product.
On an invoice or purchase order
The line may use a supplier SKU, manufacturer part number, GTIN or an accounting-system ID. Copy the identifier from the same system that requested it. In an ERP such as Dynamics 365, internal product numbers, GTINs and external codes can be maintained as separate records, including by packaging unit: Microsoft Dynamics 365 product identifiers.
Which number should you enter?
| If the form asks for | Enter |
|---|---|
| SKU | The seller’s or store’s internal SKU |
| UPC | The 12-digit UPC (GTIN-12) |
| EAN | The EAN (GTIN-13) |
| GTIN | The applicable GTIN for the exact item and packaging |
| MPN | The manufacturer’s part number |
| Product ID inside a platform | That platform’s product-record ID |
| Serial number | The code for that individual unit |
| Order number | The transaction number, not the product code |
| Barcode | Usually the digits encoded by the barcode; follow the form’s instructions if it requests an image or scan |
“Product ID” alone is ambiguous. Read nearby instructions, identify whether the request is local or global, and use the named identifier rather than the first number you see.
Variants, multipacks and packaging levels
Size, color, capacity and quantity can make products separately sold or stocked items. A small blue shirt and a large red shirt normally need separate inventory records and SKUs. A single bottle, six-pack and shipping case can also be different trade items with different identifiers. Requirements for a new GTIN depend on how the item is defined and sold; do not assume every variation automatically receives one. Packaging-unit and unit-of-measure records are supported separately in systems such as Dynamics 365.
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Does every product have a product ID or GTIN?
Every product record in software normally needs some internal key, but not every physical product has a globally standardized GTIN. Handmade, custom, unbranded, private-label, digital and service products may lack one. Google allows certain products to use other attributes or exemptions, depending on its rules: Google Merchant Center identifier requirements.
If you are a reseller, ask the manufacturer for the existing GTIN. If you manufacture or own the brand and a marketplace requires a GTIN, obtain it through the appropriate GS1 organization rather than inventing digits. GS1 explains why resold or unauthorized numbers may remain associated with another company and fail verification: GS1 on unauthorized GTINs.
Common mistakes and fixes
- Using a SKU as a GTIN: enter the manufacturer-issued GTIN when the marketplace requests GTIN, UPC or EAN.
- Confusing a serial number with a product ID: serials identify one unit; product identifiers usually identify the model or sellable item.
- Entering an order number: an order identifies a transaction, not the product.
- Removing leading zeroes: treat identifiers as text and preserve every digit.
- Adding or removing punctuation: do not insert spaces, hyphens or digits unless the system instructs you to.
- Using the wrong barcode: select the code for the exact retail unit, multipack or case requested.
- Assuming every barcode is a GTIN: some encode logistics, batch, expiry, weight or serial data.
- Inventing a missing GTIN: contact the manufacturer or check the platform’s exemption process instead.
Examples by situation
Consumer registration or warranty form
Use the model, product, barcode or serial number specifically named by the manufacturer. If the form only says “product ID,” consult its instructions or contact the manufacturer; do not substitute an order number.
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Retailer or small seller
Maintain a unique internal SKU for stock and reporting, and store the manufacturer’s GTIN and MPN separately. A practical SKU such as MUG-BLK-12OZ can be readable and stable, but there is no universal SKU format.
Shopify catalog
Shopify can store a product’s variants, internal SKU and barcode/GTIN as distinct fields. Use the field that downstream service requests; Shopify is useful for managing a catalog, not necessary for identifying one item.
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Marketplace listing
Check whether the marketplace requires GTIN, MPN, brand or an exemption. Match the identifier to the exact single item, bundle or pack size, and ensure a supplied GTIN is associated with the correct company.
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Handmade or custom product
If no official GTIN exists, follow the marketplace’s allowed alternative or exemption procedure. Never create a made-up UPC or EAN.
When dedicated services are relevant
A consumer looking up one code does not need business software. A manufacturer or private-label owner may need official GS1 licensing through GS1 US. A growing seller may use Shopify to manage products and variants, while a larger operation may need Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. Sellers distributing feeds to Google can use Google Merchant Center; it does not issue GTINs.
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