GTIN Barcodes

There are millions of products in existence all around the world. As a result, it is vital that these products are easily identifiable and distinguishable from one another. Global Trade Item Number or GTIN is a tool that is used to identify and differentiate products.

Definition of a GTIN

GTIN is an accepted international system that allows for the identification of products all around the world. This system was developed to ensure that products in existence all conform to a structure that is similar for every user. GTIN is indispensable for the operation of barcode readers with e-stores and the management of online databases for e-shops. The system was developed by the GS1, which is a non-profit association.

Main types of GTIN

GTIN comes in 8, 12, 13, and 14-digit numbers, which are the numerical equivalent of the barcode of products. The type of GTIN used by a user may depend on the location, the dominant convention within that location, and the kind of product. The main types of GTINs are discussed below.

Japanese Article Number (JAN), GTIN-13

In barcode was created in 1978. This barcode is another type of EAN-13, which is commonly used in retail within Japan. For this barcode, the two digits at the beginning stand for the Japanese country code, which can be 45 or 49. The following five digits stand for the code of the manufacturer. After these, the next five digits stand for the code of the product. The last digit is used for check.

European Article Number (EAN), GTIN-8, GTIN-13

EAN is used to encode numbers for products. It is considered a unique type of GTIN. It can be either GTIN-8 or GTIN-13. Also, the EAN allows for the unique identification of items.

Universal Product Code (UPC), GTIN-12

UPC is another type of barcode used for the identification of unique items. Also, it has two parts, which are a machine-made barcode and a specific number of 12 digits below the barcode.

International Standard Book Number (ISBN) GTIN-13

ISBN is a 13-digit code, which was initially 10 digits long. This code is easily calculated using well-defined mathematical expressions. A check digit exists at the end, which is used for validation.

Structure of GTIN

GTINs are considered to have identical structures, although they are different. Therefore, the first set of digits represent the company. Next is the item type, and finally, the check digit for validation. This structure allows online businesses to manage large databases for thousands or millions of products. Each item that is uploaded into the database is automatically assigned a unique GTIN.

Benefits of GTIN

It eases the search results for online customers.
It allows for the population of data within search engines.
It allows for product comparison and highlighting of features.
It allows for targeted advertisements based on customer search history from search engines and social media apps.
Increases the sales for sellers.
It allows for the submission of items across multiple platforms.

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