EAN codes (European Article Numbers) are an essential part of the modern commercial world. These unique 13 digit barcodes are used globally to identify products for inventory tracking, sales and logistics purposes. If you are a retailer, manufacturer or distributor, sooner or later you will probably need to purchase EAN codes. This article discusses what EAN codes are, where you can buy them, potential pitfalls to avoid, and the problems associated with recycled (used) EAN codes.

What are EAN codes?

EAN codes are standardized barcodes consisting of 13 numbers. The first two to three numbers represent the country code, followed by the manufacturer code, the product code, and a control number to ensure the accuracy of the barcode. EAN codes allow companies to effectively manage inventory, simplify the sales process and accurately exchange data between partners in the supply chain. In short, EAN codes are essential for the smooth functioning of the retail industry.

Where to buy EAN codes?

Before deciding to buy EAN codes, most traders have the same question - should I buy new "official" and more expensive EAN codes from GS1, or should I rather opt for cheap "recycled" EAN codes? What are the possible consequences if I choose a cheaper one?

Let's look a little more at both options.

To obtain official GS1 EAN codes for your products, you must purchase them from a local barcode provider, so in our case GS1 Slovenija.

GS1 is the organization responsible for assigning and managing barcodes worldwide. When you register with GS1, you will be assigned a unique business prefix that ensures your EAN codes are exclusive to your business. You will also officially associate each individual code with a specific item, which will also be verifiable later.

Purchase of EAN codes from unauthorized sellers

While it may be tempting to buy EAN codes at a lower price from third-party sellers, be aware that in certain cases they can cause a number of problems (or not - depending on what you need them for - more on that below).

These codes may not be unique or registered with GS1, meaning they are not verifiable in public databases. Some online merchants (marketplaces), such as Amazon, require GS1-verified EAN codes for product listings, so using codes from third-party sellers may result in ad removal and account bans.

In practice, you will be able to list a product on Amazon with any valid EAN code (even recycled ones), problems arise if for some reason Amazon starts checking your EAN numbers and finds that they are not GS1 verified. In our experience, this mainly happens if you choose FBA Amazon (to have your products stored and shipped by Amazon), but if you ship them yourself, usually any EAN code is acceptable and, unless there are major complications, they will not check it for you.

Problem with recycled EAN codes

Recycled EAN codes are those that were previously assigned to another product and are now being reused. The main problem with recycled codes is that they can cause confusion and inaccuracies in inventory management, as the code may still be associated with the original product in certain databases (eg Amazon or public databases). This can lead to incorrect product listings, shipping errors and other logistical issues.

In addition, using recycled EAN codes can damage your company's reputation, as customers cannot find your products online due to a wrong link to another product.

If you have a small number of products and need EAN codes mainly for your own needs (stock management, product scanning for your own system), these codes will almost certainly be enough for you, as you will internally assign them to different products and you will keep records of which EAN code belongs to which which product. In this case, there's probably really no point in spending money on official EAN codes because you DON'T need them.

For example, you can order recycled EAN codes at https://barcodelove.eu/us/product/100?discount=AFH021552, you receive them verified immediately and they are verified to work (for about 100 products that we do not advertise on Amazon, we have been using them ourselves for years).

Darilo: Za dodaten popust na tej spletni strani vpišite kodo AFH021552 

What is the price difference between official and recycled EAN codes?

The price list of official GS1 EAN codes you can find here (click) is a bit more complex, as the price is affected by your company's turnover in the last accounting period and the number of EAN codes you need, where the classes are a bit impractical.

When you join GS1 Slovenia, you will first pay a membership fee in the amount of 184.49 euros (information as of today - April 17, 2023), this amount will only be charged for the first time.

Then you will decide whether you need 1 EAN number, 1000 EAN numbers, 10,000 or 100,000 numbers. Yes, that's right, even if you only need 5 EAN numbers, you will be forced to reserve 1000 EAN numbers, luckily the price difference is not that big.

On their official website you can see which traffic class you belong to and then read the actual final cost for the selected number of EAN codes. Smaller companies that only need a couple of EAN codes can therefore expect here an amount between 123 and 300 euros/year.

As you might expect, buying recycled EAN codes is easier and faster. On page https://barcodelove.eu/us/product/100?discount=AFH021552 you simply select the number of EAN codes you need (you can also take smaller packages, such as 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 EAN codes), pay for them, receive them and assign them to the products yourself. For 100 EAN codes are currently priced at around 40 euros – gre za enkratno ceno, torej je končni strošek res konkretno nižji. Če pa uporabite še kodo AFH021552 bo vas končni znesek še nekoliko nižji.

Why you need EAN codes

There are several reasons why you may need EAN codes for your business:

1. 1. Inventory management: EAN codes help you keep track of inventory so you know when it's time to reorder products or drop products that aren't selling well.

1. 1. Sales process: EAN codes simplify the sales process by allowing cashiers to quickly scan products at the point of sale, reducing the risk of human error.

1. 1. Supply chain efficiency: EAN codes enable seamless communication between supply chain partners, enabling companies to accurately exchange data and coordinate product shipments.

1. 1. Online sales: Many online retailers such as Amazon and eBay require EAN codes to list products on their platforms. EAN codes ensure that customers can easily find and buy your products online.

Conclusion

EAN codes play a key role in the global trade industry, providing a standardized way to identify and track products. When purchasing EAN codes, many will tell you that it is essential to obtain them from a reliable source such as GS1 to avoid potential problems with third-party sellers and recycled codes. In reality, it really depends on why you need them.

If you will use them for sale also through third-party companies or websites or marketplaces (e.g. you will offer your product in physical sales or through Amazon) it is probably really worth paying a bit more for official GS1 codes and thus avoid the complications described above.

Many online retailers actually use EAN codes only for their own logistics and traceability (so that they can take stock more easily, ship items faster or make complaints). In this case, even recycled EAN codes will suffice, as they will only serve your purpose and better organization.

Damir Vidan
CEO
OnlySales.si