Bar Codes & SKUs

How to Get Your Own Bar Codes

Your website has so much fabulous information! I can't wait to come back and spend more time.

I stumbled across it when looking for an answer to the question of whether or not each individual enclosure/gift card (those tiny cards you see at florist shops) needs its own bar code.

I didn't see anything about this topic.

Did I miss it?

Thanks so much!

Jeanne

No, you didn't miss it. In fact you've just helped us add some new information to our site!

Bar codes are those ubiquitous little series of vertical bars varying in width that are found on many of the products you buy. They can be read by bar code scanners and serve many purposes.

They speed up checkout lines because a bar-coded item just needs to be passed in front of the scanner's screen to produce a sales slip. When the bar code can't be read by the scanner for some reason, the clerk manually keys in the numbers printed beneath the vertical bars. (So now you know how to translate those bars!)

Behind the scenes, those little codes can serve many other purposes: updating the store's inventory; tracking how different prices affect sales; managing work in progress (in a manufacturing environment); and tracking documents (as in a library).

Now that you know all about bar codes, you can decide whether you need one on your tiny gift enclosure cards.

If the store where you sell the cards has an automated inventory system using bar codes, they may want you to provide the codes. However it would be a shame to use up space on such a small item, especially since some buyers may want to write a lengthier message and use the back of the card.

If you do need bar codes, go to the website for the Uniform Code Council which gives directions for building your own bar codes.

Thank you for your nice comments about The Artful Crafter. It's our readers and fellow crafters like you who tell us what they want to see on the site. So, if you have any other questions or comments, please write again!

How does a greeting card company (new, small) get SKU numbers so that they can sell in retail stores?

The government site says you have to pay $750 just for starters, and that seems like it would kill most craft businesses.

Any advice?

Jeanne

I'm so glad you wrote back before plunking down $750 for any bar codes!

First let's clear up some jargon. An SKU, or Stock Keeping Unit, is an individual item or part, and is typically represented by a UPC, or Universal Product Code. A UPC is a 12-digit number which is translated into a bar code and can be affixed to products to be scanned at the point of sale.

In my first response I referred you to the Uniform Code Council's (UCC) website for info on how to build your bar codes.

To summarize, a bar code is composed of a unique 6-digit Company Prefix number followed by a unique set of numbers, referred to as the Item Reference Number.

Each company makes up its own Item Reference Numbers and needs to track them itself. The UCC is the only issuer of Company Prefix Numbers (CPNs).

To be assigned a CPN, a company typically joins the UCC and pays an annual fee. The membership fee is determined by the number of unique products a company needs to identify and the company's gross sales revenue.

Membership also allows companies to acquire the UCC's Data Driver software which creates and manages identification numbers and defines associated bar codes for its products. There is calculus involved, so the software is very helpful.

Now here's the good news. If it seems to you that the UCC should not have a lock on the market of selling CPNs, you're not alone. There are companies which have found ways around the UCC restrictions. This is especially beneficial to small or new companies which have only a few products - like you.

Companies which joined the UCC prior to August 28, 2002 can freely sell portions of the 6-digit range available for their CPN. Not too many companies have use for all the numbers from 000000 to 999999!

Prior to that date, the UCC license agreement did not contain any prohibition against subdividing the numbers.

There are at least three companies which acquire portions of company ranges and sell individual bar codes: Simply Bar Codes, Buy a Bar Code and UPC Express.

Simply Barcodes, for example, charges $89 for each barcode. This is a one-time fee.

There are no memberships, renewals, annual fees, setup charges, or any other ongoing commitments.

If you have just one price for your greeting or gift enclosure cards, you could get by with just one bar code. Since you're just buying a number and not applying to join some exclusive "club", you usually will receive a bar code within 24 hours.

Be sure to inquire how the bar code company ensures that the number you buy is unique and available for sale.

Since a UCC-member company has already done the calculus to build the bar code, you have no need for the Data Driver software. However you may want software to print your bar code(s). The Barcode Font Shop offers such a program for about $20.

I co-own a company named Nationwide Barcode. We are one of the companies who received their prefix(ex) prior to August of 2002.

The difference between us and all of the other companies mentioned above is that my company owns several dozen barcode prefixes acquired over the years.

My business partner and I were in high tech manufacturing. Because of this, we can afford to be the least expensive barcode reseller in the industry at $8.95 for a single barcode. (Much less for volume.)

My website can be found at NationwideBarcode.com.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Wow, that's a real bargain! I like what it says on your home page, especially the words I've bolded:

"If you are looking to buy a barcode, we are the lowest priced legitimate provider of EAN and UPC barcodes with immediate digital delivery!"

Eileen

I love your website. I visit it every second day and I love the creative ideas your team puts in for the visitors.

I was impressed by this page on Bar Codes and SKUs, I have definitely never found an article on Bar Codes for Greeting Cards. I was in search of such a page and needed such bar codes.

I went for Simply Barcodes as per this page's recommendation. They delivered exactly what I needed, the bar codes were specialized for my greeting cards in a proper format and color theme. The entire process of obtaining these greeting card bar codes was very simple and the service was prompt.

All thanks to this wonderful page!!!

Audrey

Thanks so much for writing to let us know of your positive experience and good luck with your greeting card business!

Updated January, 2012.