Product Identifiers

A unique barcode which is assigned to a product to help it be identified.
Product Identifiers consist of a unique barcode which is assigned to a product to help it be recognized.

Product identifiers are required for selling on eBay, Amazon, Walmart and other online marketplaces. While you may need an ASIN for Amazon, product identifiers for eBay include UPC and GTIN. In short, product identifiers help manufacturers and sellers keep track of products that are being mass produced and sold internationally. Without them, the world of online selling would likely dissolve into chaos.


Sellers need to give particular attention to product identifiers as they have slight variances between them. For example, an ASIN or Amazon Standard Identification Number is unique to Amazon and within that, each Amazon marketplace. So, an ASIN in the U.S. may differ from the same product’s ASIN in Germany. Each product listed on Amazon is required to have an accompanying ASIN, and for new products uploaded into the Amazon catalog, new ASINs will be created. Sellers and buyers alike can enter the ASIN in the search option on Amazon and arrive directly to the product.


The Universal Product Code (UPC) is similar to the European Article Number (EAN) in that they’re both product identifiers. In fact, the EAN differs from the UPC in only one number– a country code. Sellers looking to work in international marketplaces will need the EAN. The product’s manufacturer can obtain EANs, but if your products do not have manufacturer EANs, you will need to buy them.


Product identifiers make the lives of manufacturers, sellers, and buyers easier as everyone can quickly find specific products with that item’s unique code. A product identifier serves as the universal language of a given marketplace, and easy access to these codes can accelerate a seller’s processes.  


The Algopix platform allows sellers to seamlessly and instantly convert different product identifiers (for example UPC to ASIN). By doing this, online sellers can more quickly identify products and coordinate with manufacturers.

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