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What is UPC and SKU?

Author

William Cox

Published Mar 14, 2026

What is UPC and SKU?

While many use the terms “SKU” and “UPC” interchangeably, they are actually very different. First off, an SKU (stock keeping unit) is strictly for internal use. A UPC (universal product code) is affixed to a product wherever it is sold in the retail market place. An SKU is the smallest unit of product or service.

Beside this, what is a SKU code?

A stock-keeping unit (SKU) is a scannable bar code, most often seen printed on product labels in a retail store. The label allows vendors to automatically track the movement of inventory. The characters are a code that the price, product details, and the manufacturer.

Similarly, how do I find my SKU number? Most SKU numbers range between eight to 12 characters and are located on the price tag of a product. If you visit just about any retail business and look at the price tag on a product, you're likely to find something called a stock keeping unit number, or SKU number for short.

Similarly one may ask, what is difference between SKU and product?

The product is a more generic definition of something that is made available in your store, such as "Shirt". SKUs are the variations of this product. Products can vary by shape, color, size etc. In that case, you'll have 1 SKU for 1 product: for example, product "Shirt", with SKU "Shirt".

How do I look up a UPC code?

Barcodespider.com is the UPC code lookup database where you can find and search unique barcodes, UPC numbers, EAN number, product information with barcode image for millions of items. Just enter barcode number to get the information.

How do I generate a SKU code?

How to Create Good SKU Codes :
  1. Make Your Own SKU Code. Try not to incorporate the manufacturer/wholesaler code within your SKU code.
  2. Decide What You Want Your Code to Say. Decide what information you want to access through the SKU code.
  3. Use the Cascade Method.
  4. Fonts and Characters.
  5. Use an Inventory Management System.

How does a SKU number work?

A SKU, or Stock Keeping Unit, is a unique number used to internally track a business' inventory. SKUs are alphanumeric, and should provide information on the most important characteristics of a product — price, color, style, brand, gender, type, and size, for example.

Is SKU and UPC the same?

Since a SKU is unique to the company, the same product would have different SKUs if sold by different companies, but they would have the same UPC. Another difference is that SKUs are typically eight alpha-numeric digits, while UPCs are 12 digits, numeric only.

Can two products have same UPC?

It also means that the UPC is not unique to a store. If two companies are selling the same item, those items will have different SKUs, but the same UPC. Next, there's the serial number. Serial numbers are unique to each specific product and are most frequently used for electronics.

Can two products have same barcode?

The difference between a SKU and a Barcode

This ID number is internal and unique for each company selling a product. While a product may have different SKUs, its UPC barcode remains the same no matter where it is stocked or sold.

What is a UPC code on a product?

A UPC, short for universal product code, is a type of code printed on retail product packaging to aid in identifying a particular item. It consists of two parts – the machine-readable barcode, which is a series of unique black bars, and the unique 12-digit number beneath it.

Can I use UPC as SKU?

First off, an SKU (stock keeping unit) is strictly for internal use. A UPC (universal product code) is affixed to a product wherever it is sold in the retail market place. An SKU is the smallest unit of product or service. While many use the terms “SKU” and “UPC” interchangeably, they are actually very different.

Do you need SKU?

You will need to add a SKU if you're creating a product with variations, because the SKUs help differentiate the variable products from one another.

What are UPC codes used for?

Each UPC consists of a series of digitally-readable bars plus numbers that people can verify. UPC codes make it easy to ring up products at a grocery store, track inventory, reorder stock, print detailed receipts, make coupons scannable by computers, and so on.

How long is an SKU?

8-12 characters

What is the difference between SKU and PLU?

PLU (Price Look-Up code) and SKU (Stock keeping unit) numbers are used to sell items at the cash register without scanning. SKU are generally 1-3 digit numbers which you assign yourself. They are as such applicable only to your products and stores.

What is Amazon SKU number?

What is an Amazon seller sku? An Amazon seller sku is a unique string of letters and numbers that a 3rd party seller assigns to their product in order to keep track of it. The seller sku is all about the tracking.

How do I find my Amazon SKU number?

Your SKU can be “under the bed” or “on the top self”. It can be anything that will help you manage your inventory. What you are going to need is a UPC code.

How do I find my Walmart SKU number?

How to Find an SKU Number. To find the SKU, first locate the product on the Walmart website. Once you have the URL, you'll see a six to eight digit string of numbers near the end. That's your SKU number.

How do I get a free UPC code?

Top 8 Ways to Find Free UPC Codes
  1. Use Online Retailers to Find UPC Codes.
  2. Find Free UPC Codes in the Internet UPC Database.
  3. Use BarCode Lookup to Find Free UPC Codes.
  4. Use the Internet to Search for Free UPC Codes.
  5. Ask for Free Codes on Social Media.
  6. Read the Sweepstakes Rules for Free UPC Codes.

How long is a UPC code?

12 numeric digits

Can you lookup a product by barcode?

You can search for a product by barcode number (EAN13 or UPC) using the search box provided. If you own a barcode number, and no results are found for this barcode in our database, you can register it yourself here. This 'meta data' can include information such as the product name, price, quantity, and manufacturer.

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